The royal cinclodes is a Critically Endangered passerine bird in the Furnariinae subfamily of the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is found in Bolivia and Peru.
Region
Andes Mountains
Typical Environment
Occurs patchily in the high Andes of southern Peru and western Bolivia, almost exclusively in humid, moss-laden Polylepis and Gynoxys woodlands near the treeline. It uses adjacent boggy stream edges and puna grassland margins but remains closely tied to woodland with thick mossy understory and fallen logs. Territories are localized and fragmented due to extensive habitat loss and degradation. The species’ range is extremely restricted and discontinuous, with few known occupied sites.
Altitude Range
3500–4800 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The royal cinclodes is a Critically Endangered ovenbird that depends on intact, mossy Polylepis woodlands near the Andean treeline. Its tiny, fragmented population is threatened by wood-cutting, burning, and overgrazing that degrade these specialized forests. It often serves as a flagship for high-Andean woodland restoration, with community-led Polylepis reforestation benefiting the species.
Temperament
wary and territorial, often in pairs
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats, low over the ground and through woodland gaps
Social Behavior
Usually observed singly or in pairs maintaining territories within small woodland fragments. Forages mostly on or near the ground among moss, roots, and fallen logs. Nesting is poorly documented, but like other Cinclodes it likely uses cavities, crevices, or earthen banks.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A loud, high-pitched trilled series delivered from a low perch or exposed branch within Polylepis stands. Calls include sharp, squeaky notes and thin seep sounds. The song can accelerate slightly and carries well across open slopes.
Plumage
Dark chocolate-brown overall with a warmer rufous panel in the wing and rufous tones in the tail edges; slightly paler, buffy throat and a distinct buff eyebrow. Underparts are brown with subtle mottling; upperparts uniformly dark with a velvety, moss-stained look in worn birds. The bill is long, sturdy, and slightly decurved.
Diet
Feeds primarily on arthropods such as beetles, larvae, spiders, and other small invertebrates. Gleans prey from moss mats, leaf litter, bark, and soil, probing crevices and the bases of roots. Occasionally flips moss or debris with the bill to expose hidden invertebrates.
Preferred Environment
Forages on the ground and low trunks within humid Polylepis-Gynoxys woodland, especially where thick moss and damp litter accumulate. Also uses edges of high-Andean bogs and stream sides adjacent to woodland patches.
