Coastal Miner
Geositta peruviana
A pale terrestrial bird found only in coastal deserts of Peru. It is pale brownish-gray and lacks strong field marks. Very similar to Grayish Miner; Coastal Miner has a wing stripe, though this is only evident in flight. The two species mostly separate out by range, with Coastal Miner favoring the flat coastal plain and Grayish Miner preferring rocky slopes of hills and mountains. Coastal Miner is also similar to Short-tailed Field Tyrant, but lacks distinct wingbars and rump patch, and has a longer tail. Solitary, usually seen running through barren, sandy areas. Occasionally flies up to perch on a rock or bush, and also performs flight displays.
Identification
The coastal miner is a small member of its genus. It is 12 to 14.5 cm (4.7 to 5.7 in) long and weighs 16 to 19 g (0.56 to 0.67 oz). The sexes are alike. The nominate subspecies has pale brown upperparts with slightly paler uppertail coverts; the other two subspecies are a lighter pale sandy brown above. Their central pair of tail feathers are brown and sandy brown respectively. In all subspecies the next three pairs are black with narrow creamy white tips, the next pair are mostly blackish brown, and the outermost pair have a creamy white outer web and a pale rufous inner web with a dark band near the creamy tip. Their flight feathers are mostly pale rufous or tawny buff with dusky tips and a buffy band that is visible in flight. Their face has a pale supercilium. Their underparts are creamy white. Their iris is dark brown, their bill is blue-gray with a black outer third, and their legs whitish gray to greenish silver.
Taxonomy
The coastal miner has three subspecies, the nominate G. p. peruviana (Lafresnaye, 1847), G. p. paytae (Ménégaux & Hellmayr, 1906), and G. p. rostrata (Stolzmann, 1926).<p>Among the members of genus Geositta the coastal miner is most closely related to the common miner (G. cunicularia) and slender-billed miner (G. tenuirostris).
- Scientific name
- Geositta peruviana
- Authority
- Lafresnaye, 1847
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Furnariidae
- Genus
- Geositta
Range and habitat
The coastal miner is endemic to Peru. Subspecies G. p. paytae is the northernmost; it is found in the northwest between the departments of Tumbes and Ancash. The nominate subspecies is found in central Peru from Ancash south to Lima. G. p. rostrata is found only in the southwestern Department of Ica. The species inhabits open sandy areas of the coastal plain, from seaside dunes inland almost to the base of the Andes. In elevation it ranges from sea level to 700 m (2,300 ft).
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
The coastal miner is a year-round resident throughout its range. It is almost exclusively terrestrial though it may perch above the ground on low vegetation or walls.<p>Almost nothing is known about the coastal miner's foraging technique or diet. It is assumed to feed mostly on terrestrial invertebrates.<p>Only one nest of a coastal miner is known. It was in an enlarged chamber at the end of a tunnel and contained two eggs.<p>As of early 2023, xeno-canto had only three recordings of coastal miner vocalizations; the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Macaulay Library had seven. The species sings "an unmusical pjee-aww" during its display flight. It also makes "a squeaky cueet" call.
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Rough-legged Tyrannulet
Acrochordopus burmeisteri
Small flycatcher found in forest canopy. Confusingly similar to other tyrannulets, but note especially its stubby (not pointy) bill with a very pale base, which can be quite evident since you are often looking straight up at the bird. Voice is another good clue; it often gives sharp whistles, either alone or in a series. It also tends to be more sluggish, perches more vertically, and stays higher up in the trees than other similar tyrannulets. It has two separate populations, one in the Atlantic Forest region, and another along the east slope of the Andes in Argentina, Bolivia, and perhaps far southern Peru. Northward it is replaced by White-fronted Tyrannulet, which is now considered a separate species. The area of overlap is not well known. Rough-legged Tyrannulet is more uniformly colored, showing little or no gray in the crown.
Black-throated Hermit
Phaethornis atrimentalis
Small hummingbird with a long white-tipped tail. Its rufous underparts, green back, and striped face are features typical of many hermits, but the dark throat and white vent help separate it from other similar species. Inhabits rainforest understory in lowlands east of the Andes and in adjacent foothills. It is difficult to see well as it zips between flowers in the gloom. Sometimes gives a high-pitched, squeaky song from a low perch.
Smooth-billed Ani
Crotophaga ani
Anis are bizarre, coal-black cuckoos with long floppy tails and unique, curiously tall, flattened bills. Smooth-billed occurs in a variety of open and semi-open habitats in tropical lowlands and foothills, typically staying low in shrubs and grasses. Gregarious and not particularly graceful; usually seen crashing around awkwardly in small groups. Flies with choppy wingbeats and long glides. Widespread and common throughout much of South America and the Caribbean, extending as far west as the Pacific slope of Costa Rica and north to Florida. Compare with the very similar Groove-billed Ani, which overlaps in some areas of Central and South America. Note especially the bill shape: Smooth-billed often (but not always) has a taller ridge on the top of the bill, and a sharper angle on the lower edge of the bill. The sides are typically smooth, rarely with weak grooves. Voice is also important: listen for a rising, hawklike whistle with an inflection at the end. Dark eye, size, and habitat help separate from Greater Ani in South America and Panama.
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