Dark-faced Ground Tyrant

Name: Dark-faced Ground Tyrant, Dormilon bistré, Maskengrundtyrann, Dormilona carinegra (Muscisaxicola macloviana macloviana - Falkland Islands; Muscisaxicola mentalis - Peru, Argentina, Uruguay)

Length: 16 cm

Weight: 20 grams

Location: Falkland Islands, Andes region

Conservation status: Least Concern

Diet: Small insects and invertebrates

Appearance: Dark grey-brown on top, pale grey below. Black face, bill, and legs. Dark brown crown. Black rear and tail with white outer tail-feathers. Those found on the Falklands tend to be a bit larger.

How do Dark-faced Ground Tyrants feed?

Dark-faced Ground Tyrants primarily forage on the ground, searching among rocks, grasses, and seaweed for small invertebrates. They will also fly to catch insects.

Are Dark-faced Ground Tyrants social?

These birds are generally solitary or found in pairs, but they occasionally form flocks of up to 100 individuals.

What are Dark-faced Ground Tyrant birthing rituals like?

The breeding season runs from September through March for the continental variety, and October through December for those in the Falklands. Males attract females by rising up to 15 meters in the air and then dropping to the ground while moving their wings up and down.

Once paired, they build nests in cracks or hollows among rocks, using grasses and roots for the outer part and softer materials like feathers for the inner lining. They lay 2 or 3 eggs, and chicks fledge 18 days after hatching. They may raise 2 broods in a single breeding season.

How many Dark-faced Ground Tyrants are there today?

The Falkland Islands population is estimated to be between 4,000 and 20,000 breeding pairs.

Do Dark-faced Ground Tyrants have any natural predators?

Their biggest predator is the domestic cat.

5 Terrific Dark-faced Ground Tyrant Facts

• The continental variety is migratory, moving to Chile, Peru, Argentina, and Uruguay with the seasons. The Falklands variety stays on the islands year-round.
• The name Muscisaxicola comes from the genus Muscicapa, meaning "flycatcher," and the genus Saxicola, meaning "wheat-ear."
• Maclovianus is derived from Îles Malouines, named after explorers and fishers from St. Malo, a port city in France along the English Channel.
• The tyrant flycatcher family (Tyrannidae) is the largest and most varied family of birds in the Americas.
• Dark-faced Ground Tyrants are nicknamed "the news bird" because they often hop up to others as if sharing news.