The common miner is a passerine bird in the subfamily Sclerurinae, the leaftossers and miners, of the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Peru, and Uruguay.
Region
Southern and western South America
Typical Environment
Occurs widely in open habitats of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Peru, and Uruguay. Favors arid and semi-arid steppe, grasslands, and scrub, as well as coastal dunes and sandy plains. Also uses human-modified landscapes such as pastures, road cuts, and field edges where soil is suitable for burrowing. In the Andes it extends into open puna and rocky slopes.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 3500 m
Climate Zone
Temperate
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Miners get their name from the burrows they excavate in soft soil or earthen banks, where they nest and roost. The common miner is a ground-dwelling ovenbird that runs swiftly, often flushing with a low, undulating flight. Its sandy tones provide excellent camouflage in open steppe and dunes. By consuming a variety of insects, it helps control terrestrial arthropod populations.
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
low, undulating flight with rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Usually seen singly or in pairs, especially during the breeding season. Pairs excavate a burrow tunnel ending in a nest chamber lined with grasses. They are monogamous, with both parents incubating and feeding the young. Outside breeding, small loose groups may form in open foraging areas.
Migratory Pattern
Partial migrant
Song Description
Song is a simple, thin series of high whistles or trills delivered from the ground, a low perch, or short display flights. Calls include sharp tseet notes and dry chips, often given in contact while foraging.
Plumage
Sandy-brown upperparts with fine, diffuse streaking; pale buff underparts with minimal markings.
Diet
Feeds mainly on ground-dwelling insects and other arthropods such as beetles, ants, termites, and spiders. Probes and picks in loose soil, sand, and short vegetation, and may scratch lightly while foraging. Occasionally takes small seeds or plant matter but animal prey dominates.
Preferred Environment
Forages on bare or sparsely vegetated ground, including steppe, pastures, dunes, and road verges. Often uses recently disturbed soils and the edges of tracks or banks where prey is accessible.
