Compact tyrant flycatcher measuring 14–15 cm, large-headed and showing a broad, conspicuous white eyebrow that begins at the forehead and contrasts with a dark gray mask. Underparts pale gray to whitish gray, lighter toward the center of the belly. Crown dark gray; upperparts grayish brown with a slight cinnamon tint on the lower back and rump (a typical trait of the Argentine subspecies tucumana). Wings dark brown with two well-marked cinnamon wing bars in this subspecies. Tail dark, with white outer edges visible in flight. Bill black, thin and pointed; legs black. Sexes similar. Juveniles are browner with more marked wing bars. Differs from the Cinnamon Flycatcher (O. oenanthoides), which occurs sympatrically at higher elevations (3400–4200 m), by lacking the species’ distinctive cinnamon-colored belly.
Geographic distribution: Ranges from southern Ecuador to northern Chile and northwestern Argentina, from Salta south to San Juan between 2,000–3,400 m. In winter it descends to lower ravines and the edges of montane forest. In Tucumán, it is common in ravines of the Cumbres Calchaquíes around 3,000 m.
Habitat: Shrubby ravines, arid mountain slopes, ecotone with montane forest, mountain streams, Andean villages, and rocky scrublands.
Behavior: Solitary or found in pairs. Territorial. Perches upright on branches, rocks, or shrubs, from where it makes short sallies to capture insects. Its song is a repeated sequence of buzzes or short whistles, and its call is a whistle.
Diet: Arthropods caught in flight from exposed perches, or gleaned from the ground or rocky surfaces. Does not join mixed-species flocks.
Reproduction: Cup-shaped nest hidden in grass tussocks or low shrubs, built with small twigs, grasses, feathers, and wool.
Conservation status: Species not considered threatened. Common in ravines and montane habitats with rocks and shrubs.
Authors of this compilation: Diego Carus and Maria Belén Dri – 06/12/2025