Common Miner
NameCommon Miner
Common NameCommon Miner
Scientific NameGeositta cunicularia
FamilyFurnariidae
Wingspan (cm)30
Length (cm)15.5
Weight (g)29
Plumage DetailsUpperparts are sandy-brown, sometimes with faint streaking. Underparts are paler, whitish to buffy. It features a pale supercilium above a dark eye and a dark loral stripe. The tail is dark with rufous outer feathers, especially noticeable in flight.
Vocalization / CallVocalizations include a series of sharp, high-pitched 'tseep' notes and a trilling song, often given from a perch or in flight.
Primary Dietinsectivore
Primary Habitatsgrassland, desert, coastal, urban
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Geographic RangeWidespread across South America, found from central Chile and Argentina north through Bolivia, Peru, and Ecuador, with populations also present in southern Brazil and Uruguay.
Identifying Featureslong slender decurved bill, sandy-brown plumage, pale supercilium, terrestrial foraging habits, burrow-nesting
Description
This medium-sized terrestrial ovenbird is characterized by its sandy-brown plumage, which provides excellent camouflage in its open, arid habitats. It possesses a distinctive long, slender, and slightly decurved bill, used for probing the ground for food. Common Miners are often observed foraging on the ground and are known to nest in burrows.
