Des Murs's wiretail is a small passerine bird of southern South America which belongs to the ovenbird family Furnariidae. Molecular phylogenetics places it within the Synallaxinae and indicates that the genus diverged from the Leptasthenura about 14–15 million years ago.
Region
Southern Andes and Patagonian temperate forests
Typical Environment
Found in southern Chile and adjacent southwestern Argentina, especially within the Valdivian and Magellanic temperate forests. It favors dense understory, particularly Chusquea bamboo thickets in Nothofagus and mixed evergreen forests. It also uses riparian tangles, forest edges, and regenerating second-growth with thick shrub layers. The species generally forages within a meter or two of the ground, weaving through tight vegetation and along streamside cover.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1200 m
Climate Zone
Temperate
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Des Murs's wiretail is a small ovenbird of the Valdivian temperate forests in southern South America. Its extraordinarily long, wiry tail feathers have reduced barbs near the tips, giving a distinctive wire-like look. Molecular work places it in the subfamily Synallaxinae and suggests its lineage diverged from Leptasthenura around 14–15 million years ago. It is closely tied to dense bamboo (Chusquea) understory, making it a good indicator of intact forest understories.
Temperament
skulking and active
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with low, weaving flights through understory
Social Behavior
Usually encountered singly, in pairs, or family groups, often accompanying mixed-species flocks in the understory. Both sexes participate in nest building, creating a domed or ball-like nest of grasses and bamboo fibers hidden in dense cover. Breeding occurs in austral spring–summer, with a small clutch and attentive parental care.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
High, thin trills and accelerating series of tsee notes delivered from low perches within dense vegetation. Calls include sharp chip or tsk contact notes while foraging.
Plumage
Warm brown upperparts with slightly paler, buffy underparts and a subtle grayish face; feathers are smooth with minimal streaking. The long tail is composed of elongated rectrices with reduced barbs toward the tips, appearing wire-like. A faint pale supercilium and lighter throat may be visible at close range.
Diet
Primarily small arthropods, including insects, spiders, and their eggs gleaned from bamboo culms, leaves, and tangled understory. It picks prey from crevices, dead leaf clusters, and mossy stems, occasionally sallying short distances to snatch moving prey. Plant matter is minimal and likely incidental.
Preferred Environment
Feeds in dense Chusquea bamboo and shrubby tangles, especially along forest edges and riparian corridors. Most foraging occurs within the lower understory, typically below 2 m above ground.
