The spot-billed ground tyrant is a species of bird in the family Tyrannidae, the tyrant flycatchers. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru and as a vagrant in Brazil.
Region
Andes Mountains
Typical Environment
Occurs from Colombia and Ecuador south through Peru and Bolivia into Chile and Argentina, with occasional vagrants to western Brazil. It favors open, sparsely vegetated habitats such as puna grasslands, high-elevation pastures, and rocky slopes. It also uses edges of arid scrub and human-modified fields, provided there is ample open ground for foraging. Local movements bring some birds to slightly lower elevations in the non-breeding season.
Altitude Range
1500–4500 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
A terrestrial flycatcher of open Andean country, the spot-billed ground tyrant often runs and pauses on the ground while flicking its tail. Its common name comes from the pale-based bill marked with dark spots. It makes short sallies to snatch insects and can perform altitudinal movements as seasons change. Vagrants occasionally wander east into Brazil.
Temperament
alert and active
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with low, direct dashes; brief sallies from the ground
Social Behavior
Typically seen singly or in pairs during the breeding season, sometimes loosely associating in small groups in open foraging areas. Nests are placed on the ground or among rocks, where a cup nest is built from grasses and fibers. Both parents participate in caring for the young.
Migratory Pattern
Partial migrant
Song Description
Vocalizations are simple, high, and thin, consisting of tseep notes and short chattering bursts. Song is modest and often delivered from a low perch or during brief display flights.
Plumage
Gray-brown upperparts with a paler face and subtle buffy supercilium; underparts whitish to pale buff with light mottling on the breast. Tail shows rufous tones with a darker subterminal band. Wings are dusky with faint pale edging; overall appearance is plain but crisp in good light.
Diet
Primarily feeds on insects such as beetles, flies, ants, and other small arthropods. Captures prey by running and stopping on the ground, then picking items from the surface. Also makes short aerial sorties to snatch flying insects and occasionally gleans from low vegetation.
Preferred Environment
Forages in open ground with short vegetation, rocky flats, and the margins of pastures. Often uses roadsides, fallow fields, and stony slopes where prey is conspicuous.
