Thick-billed miner

The thick-billed miner is a species of bird in the subfamily Sclerurinae, the leaftossers and miners, of the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is endemic to Peru.

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Distribution

Region

Peruvian Andes (west slope and coastal foothills)

Typical Environment

Occurs patchily on the western flank of the Andes in central and southern Peru, favoring sparsely vegetated, rocky or sandy slopes, arid scrub, and foothill deserts. It also uses road cuts, gullies, and canyon edges where suitable earthen banks occur for nesting. Vegetation is typically low and scattered, with cacti, bushes, and bunchgrasses. Individuals are most often detected on open ground where they run between foraging bouts.

Altitude Range

0–2500 m

Climate Zone

Arid

Characteristics

Size16–18 cm

Wing Span26–30 cm

Male Weight0.032 kg

Female Weight0.03 kg

Life Expectancy6 years

Ease of Keeping

Beginner friendly: 1/5

Useful to know

This ground-dwelling ovenbird is specialized for arid, open habitats of Peru’s west Andean slopes. It digs nesting burrows in earthen banks or level ground, a hallmark behavior of the miners. The species is typically seen singly or in pairs, running and pausing as it forages. Its stout bill and warm rufous tail help distinguish it from other similar miners.

Gallery

Thick-billed miner at Reserva Nacionale de LaChay - Peru

Thick-billed miner

Behaviour

Temperament

wary and terrestrial

Flight Pattern

short rapid wingbeats, low and undulating over the ground

Social Behavior

Usually solitary or in pairs, maintaining small feeding territories in open ground. Nests are excavated burrows in banks or flat soil, ending in a chamber lined with plant material. Pairs are presumed monogamous and defend nest sites during the breeding period.

Migratory Pattern

Resident

Song Description

Song is a brief series of thin, buzzy trills delivered from the ground or a low perch, often at dawn. Calls include sharp chips and soft trrt notes given during foraging and pair contact.

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Identification

Leg Colorpale pinkish-grey

Eye Colordark brown

Plumage

Sandy-brown upperparts with slightly warmer tones on the wings, pale buff underparts with minimal streaking on the breast, and a distinct warm rufous tail with a darker subterminal band. Shows a pale, narrow supercilium and a clean whitish throat. Overall appearance is plain but with a notably heavy, straight bill.

Feeding Habits

Diet

Feeds primarily on arthropods, including beetles, ants, larvae, and spiders. It probes loose soil and leaf litter and gleans from bare ground and stones. The stout bill aids in turning debris and probing soft substrates. Occasional seeds or plant matter may be taken opportunistically.

Preferred Environment

Forages on open, sparsely vegetated slopes, desert scrub, and along road cuts or erosion banks. Often uses microhabitats with patches of bare ground interspersed with low shrubs and rocks.

Population

Total Known Populationunknown

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