The slender-billed miner is a species of bird in the subfamily Sclerurinae, the leaftossers and miners, of the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador, and Peru.
Region
Andes Mountains
Typical Environment
Occurs along the high Andes of Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, and northwestern Argentina. Favors open puna grasslands, arid shrub-steppe, and stony plains with sparse vegetation. Frequently uses eroded cuts, road banks, and earthen slopes that provide suitable nesting substrates. Also forages in pastures and fallow fields near human settlements at high elevations.
Altitude Range
2500–4800 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
A high-Andean furnariid, the slender-billed miner lives up to its name with a long, thin bill adapted for probing soil and turf for invertebrates. Like other “miners,” it excavates nesting tunnels in earthen banks or soft ground, ending in a grass-lined chamber. It is often seen running across open puna grasslands and stony slopes, flying low with quick, direct wingbeats. Its soft, high trills can be easy to miss in windy alpine habitats.
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats, low and direct over ground
Social Behavior
Usually encountered singly or in pairs, sometimes in loose small groups outside the breeding season. Pairs excavate a burrow in an earthen bank or soft slope, ending in a grass-lined chamber where 2–4 eggs are laid. Both sexes participate in nest excavation and care. Foraging is mostly on the ground, with quick runs and short sallies.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A thin, high, tinkling trill or series of rapid notes, often delivered from the ground or a low perch. Calls include sharp tsee notes and dry ticking sounds, which can be masked by wind in open puna habitat.
Plumage
Sandy-brown upperparts with a pale buffy supercilium, whitish throat, and clean pale underparts. The tail is rufous with a contrasting dark subterminal band, often obvious in flight. Wings show warm rufous tones against otherwise earthy browns.
Diet
Feeds primarily on ground-dwelling invertebrates such as ants, beetles, and their larvae, as well as spiders and other small arthropods. Probes soil, turf, and debris with its slender bill and picks prey from between stones and short grass. Will opportunistically take small seeds or plant matter but remains chiefly insectivorous. Sometimes forages near livestock, taking insects they flush.
Preferred Environment
Open, sparsely vegetated ground including puna grasslands, stony flats, road margins, and field edges. Often near earthen banks or cuts that also serve as nesting sites. Avoids dense vegetation and forests.
