The straight-billed earthcreeper is a species of bird in the Furnariinae subfamily of the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, and Peru.
Region
Andes Mountains
Typical Environment
Occurs in arid and semi-arid Andean slopes and valleys of Peru, Bolivia, northern Chile, and northwestern Argentina. It favors rocky hillsides, puna and pre-puna shrublands, and sparsely vegetated quebradas with scattered shrubs and cacti. The species also uses eroded banks and stone walls where prey can be gleaned from crevices. It is typically found in open, stony terrain rather than dense vegetation.
Altitude Range
2000–4500 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
A high-Andean furnariid, the straight-billed earthcreeper probes rocky crevices and earthen banks with its notably straight, slender bill. It often forages low to the ground, running between boulders and shrubs. Its rufous tail is a reliable field mark when it flicks or fans the tail while moving.
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats, low and direct over ground
Social Behavior
Usually encountered singly or in pairs, maintaining territories year-round. Breeds in the austral spring–summer, often nesting in burrows in earthen banks or crevices, lined with grasses. Clutch size is small, and adults remain close to rocky cover while foraging.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Song is a dry, accelerating series of sharp notes or trills delivered from a rock perch. Calls include harsh chips and chatters used during territorial encounters.
Plumage
Plain brown to gray-brown upperparts with a contrasting rich rufous rump and tail; underparts pale grayish to buff with faint streaking on the breast. A pale buff supercilium and whitish throat contrast with the darker face. Wings show warm rufous tones when spread.
Diet
Primarily takes arthropods such as beetles, ants, spiders, and larvae. It probes into soil, rock crevices, and root tangles with its straight bill and also gleans from ground and low shrubs. Occasionally consumes other small invertebrates and may take some seeds incidentally.
Preferred Environment
Feeds on open rocky slopes, eroded banks, and among scattered shrubs and cacti. Often forages along stone walls and in dry ravines where invertebrates concentrate.
