Earthcreeper(?) Chile (1 Viewer)

[rylirk]

Hi all,
At the time I thought this was an earthcreeper (either Scale-Throated or Patagonian Forest), but if anything the bill looks a bit too long? At La Silla observatory in the mountains on the Coquimbo/Atacama border

 

[Andy Adcock]

I think you're right.

 

[rylirk]

In which case, which one ? Scale-Throated or Patagonian Forest? I guess I'm possibly too far north for Patagonian Forest?

 

[Andy Adcock]

On paleness, Slender-billed Miner might be an option but I think you should see wing bars?

 

[rylirk]

The bird was very skulky and mostly hid in rock crevices, which I think is behaviour better for earthcreeper? The only miner I have seen before was the rufous-banded, and they were very confiding, and I'm assuming behaviour is similar?

 

[rylirk]

Entering the list into eBird, both slender-billed miner and Patagonian Forest Earthcreeper would be write-in species for the province & time of year. So I'm leaning quite heavily towards Scale-Throated Earthcreeper Paleness could be an artefact of the lighting, which was poor

 

[THE_FERN]

Entering the list into eBird, both slender-billed miner and Patagonian Forest Earthcreeper would be write-in species for the province & time of year. So I'm leaning quite heavily towards Scale-Throated Earthcreeper Paleness could be an artefact of the lighting, which was poor

I've not seen either species of earthcreeper, but from the descriptions and images on neotropical birds I'd say scale-throated. Patagonian forest apparently is in at least somewhat shrubby/forested habitat and is darker. I don't think I'd think "miner" if I saw this in the field.

 

[pbjosh]

For the location it is certainly Scale-throated, and I don't see anything in the picture to disagree with that species. It is mildly out of range and well out of habitat for Patagonian Forest EC. It is well out of range for Slender-billed Miner, and while one blurry photo can be misleading, I'd have a hard time seeing Slender-billed Miner in that photo.

 

[Andy Adcock]

For the location it is certainly Scale-throated, and I don't see anything in the picture to disagree with that species. It is mildly out of range and well out of habitat for Patagonian Forest EC. It is well out of range for Slender-billed Miner, and while one blurry photo can be misleading, I'd have a hard time seeing Slender-billed Miner in that photo.

I suggested it purely on the length and apparent fineness of the bill.