The buff-winged cinclodes is a species of bird in the Furnariinae subfamily of the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is found in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay and as a vagrant on the Falkland Islands.
Region
Southern South America
Typical Environment
Occurs widely across Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay, and southern Brazil, with occasional vagrants reaching the Falkland Islands. It favors open temperate grasslands, pampas, Patagonian shrub-steppe, pastures, and the margins of wetlands and streams. The species readily uses human-modified landscapes with short swards and bare ground. Along watercourses it forages on exposed banks, shores, and gravel bars.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 2500 m
Climate Zone
Temperate
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
A member of the ovenbird family (Furnariidae), the buff-winged cinclodes is often seen on open ground, flicking its tail and flashing its pale wing panel in flight. It frequently forages around livestock pastures and along stream margins, probing soil and turf for invertebrates. The species nests in burrows it excavates in earthen banks or uses cavities among rocks or structures.
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with low, direct flights
Social Behavior
Usually seen singly or in pairs, maintaining territories in open habitats. Breeding pairs excavate tunnel-like nests in earthen banks or use natural cavities, lining chambers with plant fibers. Both adults share incubation and chick-rearing duties.
Migratory Pattern
Partial migrant
Song Description
Song is a fast, rattling series of thin notes that accelerates slightly, delivered from a perch or low flight. Calls include sharp chips and soft trills used in contact between pair members.
Plumage
Plain brown upperparts with a contrasting buffy supercilium and a conspicuous pale buff wing panel; underparts grayish-brown to buff with a paler throat. Tail is rufous-brown with darker subterminal shading; flight shows strong buff flash in the wings.
Diet
Primarily takes ground-dwelling arthropods such as beetles, ants, spiders, and larvae. Also probes for worms and small invertebrates in damp soil and along water margins. Occasionally picks tiny crustaceans or other littoral invertebrates where available.
Preferred Environment
Feeds on short grasslands, grazed pastures, road verges, and exposed soil, as well as riverbanks, lake shores, and marsh edges. Often forages near livestock where ground is disturbed and prey is accessible.
