Medium-sized ground-tyrant, 14–16 cm, slender, with a long slightly curved bill. The key feature is the heavily scaled breast, the most streaked in the genus. Sandy-brown plumage with a fine pale eyebrow and slightly contrasting face. In flight shows a rufous wing panel with a dark subterminal band and pale tail base.
Subspecies:
• titicacae (NW Argentina, 2500–4500 m): Pale, lightly streaked breast, well-marked pale tail base, visible rufous wings. Occurs with Puna Ground-Tyrant, Rufous Ground-Tyrant and Thin-billed Ground-Tyrant.
• contrerasi (Sierras de Córdoba, 1300–2000 m): Small, darker, heavily streaked breast, darker wings and tail. Occurs with Rufous Ground-Tyrant.
• cunicularia and hellmayri (Patagonia, Pampas, central–south): From grasslands and steppe. Evident breast streaking, browner plumage, less-contrasting tail base than titicacae. Found from sea level to 400 m in the south and up to 1,000 m in hilly areas. Occurs with Patagonian Ground-Tyrant and Rufous Ground-Tyrant.
Similar species:
• Puna Ground-Tyrant (G. punensis): unstreaked breast, paler, shorter bill.
• Rufous Ground-Tyrant (G. rufipennis): larger, no streaking, shorter and thicker bill, stronger reddish-cinnamon tones.
• Thin-billed Ground-Tyrant (G. tenuirostris): similar plumage but much longer and thinner bill.
• Patagonian Ground-Tyrant (G. antarctica): short bill, more uniform pale coloration, lacks wing bands, lightly scaled breast.
Distribution: In Argentina from Jujuy to Tierra del Fuego. Present in NW Argentina, Cuyo, Central Sierras, Pampas, Patagonia and the Atlantic coast, from 0 to 4500 m depending on region and subspecies. Also in Uruguay, southern Brazil, Paraguay, and the Andes of Peru, Bolivia, and Chile. Altitudinal migrant in NW Argentina. Southern cunicularia moves north in winter, reaching Buenos Aires, Uruguay, and southern Brazil.
Habitat: Open habitats: Patagonian steppe, Pampas grasslands, coastal beaches and dunes, rocky sierras, puna and high Andean plains. Associated with soft soils or slopes where it digs nests.
Behavior: Terrestrial, runs more than it flies, bobs tail up and down. Confiding but crouches against the ground to camouflage. Low, undulating flight showing the rufous wing patch clearly. May form groups in winter.
Voice:
• cunicularia: rhythmic series “wi-TAK wi-TAK wi-TAK…” lasting 2–6 s, from ground or during display flight.
• titicacae: harsh accelerated trill “chrrrr kwe-kwe-kwe-kwe…”.
Diet: Mainly arthropods: beetles, larvae, ants, spiders, small worms. Also seeds and shoots. Forages on open ground and even along tracks.
Breeding: Nest in a tunnel excavated in banks, slopes, roadsides or old rodent burrows. Inner chamber lined with grasses and hair. Clutch: 2–3 (sometimes 4–5) white eggs.
Conservation status: Not threatened; common species.
Authors of this compilation: Diego Carus and Maria Belén Dri – 06/12/2025