# Ground tyrant > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Ground_tyrant > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Ground_tyrant.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ground_tyrant > Source revision: 1319563864 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{short description|Genus of birds}} {{Automatic taxobox | name = Ground tyrants | image = Perched Spot-billed Ground-tyrant (Muscisaxicola maculirostris) side view.jpg | image_caption = [Spot-billed ground tyrant](/source/Spot-billed_ground_tyrant) (''Muscisaxicola maculirostris'') | taxon = Muscisaxicola | authority = [d'Orbigny](/source/Alcide_d'Orbigny) & [Lafresnaye](/source/Fr%C3%A9d%C3%A9ric_de_Lafresnaye), 1837 | type_species = ''[Muscisaxicola rufivertex](/source/Rufous-naped_ground_tyrant)''{{cite web |url= https://www.aviansystematics.org/4th-edition-checklist?viewfamilies=107 |title= Tyrannidae |author= |date= |website= aviansystematics.org |publisher= The Trust for Avian Systematics |access-date= 2023-07-16}} | type_species_authority = d'Orbigny & Lafresnaye, 1837 }} The '''ground tyrants''' ('''''Muscisaxicola''''') are a [genus](/source/genus) of [passerine](/source/passerine) birds belonging to the [tyrant flycatcher](/source/tyrant_flycatcher) family Tyrannidae. There are about 13 different species. They are ground-dwelling birds which inhabit open country in [South America](/source/South_America), particularly the [Andes](/source/Andes) and [Patagonia](/source/Patagonia). Several southern species are [migratory](/source/bird_migration), moving northward for the winter. Ground tyrants feed on [insect](/source/insect)s and other [invertebrate](/source/invertebrate)s, mainly by picking them from the ground. A flight display is performed during the breeding season. The nest is a cup of twigs or grass which, in most species, is built in a burrow, crevice or under rocks. Ground tyrants are fairly small (13–20 cm in length) with longish legs, a slender bill and an erect posture. The [plumage](/source/plumage) is dull and mainly grey or brown with paler underparts. The head is variably patterned with several species having [rufous](/source/rufous) patches on the crown or white between the bill and eye. The birds have simple calls and are often silent. ==Taxonomy== The genus ''Muscisaxicola'' was introduced in 1837 by the French naturalists [Alcide d'Orbigny](/source/Alcide_d'Orbigny) and [Frédéric de Lafresnaye](/source/Fr%C3%A9d%C3%A9ric_de_Lafresnaye). They listed several species in their new genus but did not specify a [type species](/source/type_species).{{ cite journal | last1=d'Orbigny | first1=Alcide | author1-link=Alcide d'Orbigny | last2=Lafresnaye | first2=Frédéric de | author2-link=Frédéric de Lafresnaye | year=1837 | title=Synopsis avium | language=Latin | journal=Magasin de Zoologie | volume=7 | issue=2 | pages=1–88 [65] | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/37087510 }} In 1840 the English zoologist [George Gray](/source/George_Robert_Gray) selected ''Muscisaxicola rufivertex'' Orbigny & Lafresnaye, the [rufous-naped ground tyrant](/source/rufous-naped_ground_tyrant), as the type.{{ cite book | last=Gray | first=George Robert | author-link=George Robert Gray | year=1840 | title=A List of the Genera of Birds : with an Indication of the Typical Species of Each Genus | location=London | publisher=R. and J.E. Taylor | page=24 | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/13668918 }}{{ cite book | editor-last=Traylor | editor-first=Melvin A. Jr | author-link=Melvin Alvah Traylor Jr. | year=1979 | title=Check-List of Birds of the World | volume=8 | publisher=Museum of Comparative Zoology | place=Cambridge, Massachusetts | page=168 | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/14500945 }} The genus name is a [portmanteau](/source/portmanteau) of the genera ''[Muscicapa](/source/Muscicapa)'' and ''[Saxicola](/source/Saxicola)''.{{ cite web | last=Jobling | first=James A. | title=Muscisaxicola | work=The Key to Scientific Names | url=https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/key-to-scientific-names/search?q=Muscisaxicola | publisher=Cornell Lab of Ornithology | access-date=4 September 2025 }} A molecular phylogenetic study of the [suboscine](/source/suboscine)s published in 2020 found that the [yellow-browed tyrant](/source/yellow-browed_tyrant) in the [monotypic](/source/monotypic) genus ''Satrapa'' was [sister](/source/sister_group) to the species in the genus ''Muscisaxicola''.{{Cite journal | last1=Harvey | first1=M.G. | display-authors=etal | date=2020 | title=The evolution of a tropical biodiversity hotspot | journal=Science | volume=370 | issue=6522 | pages=1343-1348 | doi=10.1126/science.aaz6970 | hdl=10138/329703 | hdl-access=free }} A high resolution version of the phylogenetic tree in Figure 1 is available from the first author's website [http://www.harveybirdlab.org/docs/Harveyetal2020_Fig1_tree_HiRes.pdf here]. A study of [mitochondrial DNA](/source/mitochondrial_DNA) by Terry Chesser published in 2000 found that the [little ground tyrant](/source/little_ground_tyrant) (''M. fluviatilis'') is highly divergent and not closely related to the other ground tyrants. All the remaining species are related and form a [monophyletic group](/source/monophyly), although the [spot-billed ground tyrant](/source/spot-billed_ground_tyrant) (''M. maculirostris'') is somewhat divergent from the others. The little and spot-billed ground tyrants are smaller and browner than the other species and the little ground tyrant also differs in its habitat, occurring near rivers in the [Amazon rainforest](/source/Amazon_rainforest). The [paramo ground tyrant](/source/paramo_ground_tyrant) (''M. alpinus'') and [Taczanowski's ground tyrant](/source/Taczanowski's_ground_tyrant) (''M. griseus'') were previously treated as a single species but are genetically divergent with the paramo ground tyrant belonging to a southern Andean and Patagonian [clade](/source/clade) within the genus and Taczanowski's ground tyrant belonging to a central Andean clade. The name plain-capped ground tyrant is used by some authors to refer to ''M. griseus'' with paramo ground tyrant used for ''M. alpinus''. The genus name ''Muscisaxicola'' is [masculine](/source/grammatical_gender), therefore the species names ''griseus'', ''cinereus'', ''maclovianus'', ''alpinus'' and ''capistratus'' are correct rather than ''grisea'', ''cinerea'', ''macloviana'', ''alpina'' and ''capistrata''. The names ''flavinucha'' and ''albilora'' are invariable. ===Species list=== The genus contains 12 species:{{cite web| editor1-last=Gill | editor1-first=Frank | editor1-link=Frank Gill (ornithologist) | editor2-last=Donsker | editor2-first=David | editor3-last=Rasmussen | editor3-first=Pamela | editor3-link=Pamela C. Rasmussen | date=July 2021 | title=Tyrant flycatchers | work=IOC World Bird List Version 11.2 | url=https://www.worldbirdnames.org/bow/flycatchers/ | publisher=International Ornithologists' Union | accessdate=25 July 2021 }} {| class="wikitable" |- ! Image !! Scientific name !! Common name !! Distribution |- | - ||[Spot-billed ground tyrant](/source/Spot-billed_ground_tyrant)|| ''Muscisaxicola maculirostris''|| Andes |- | - ||[White-fronted ground tyrant](/source/White-fronted_ground_tyrant)|| ''Muscisaxicola albifrons''|| [Puna grassland](/source/Puna_grassland) |- |125px ||[Ochre-naped ground tyrant](/source/Ochre-naped_ground_tyrant)|| ''Muscisaxicola flavinucha''|| southern Andes ; winters to northern Peru |- |125px ||[Paramo ground tyrant](/source/Paramo_ground_tyrant)|| ''Muscisaxicola alpinus''|| Andes of Colombia and Ecuador |- |125px ||[Taczanowski's ground tyrant](/source/Taczanowski's_ground_tyrant)|| ''Muscisaxicola griseus''|| Puna grassland |- |125px ||[Cinereous ground tyrant](/source/Cinereous_ground_tyrant)|| ''Muscisaxicola cinereus''|| Puna grassland |- |125px ||[Rufous-naped ground tyrant](/source/Rufous-naped_ground_tyrant)|| ''Muscisaxicola rufivertex''|| Puna grassland,
southern Andes and [Sierras Pampeanas](/source/Sierras_Pampeanas) |- |125px ||[Dark-faced ground tyrant](/source/Dark-faced_ground_tyrant)|| ''Muscisaxicola maclovianus''|| southern Andes ;
winters to coastal Peru and throughout [southern cone](/source/southern_cone) |- |125px ||[White-browed ground tyrant](/source/White-browed_ground_tyrant)|| ''Muscisaxicola albilora''|| southern Andes ; winters north to Ecuador |- |125px ||[Cinnamon-bellied ground tyrant](/source/Cinnamon-bellied_ground_tyrant)|| ''Muscisaxicola capistratus''|| southern Patagonia ;
winters north to southeastern Peru |- |125px ||[Puna ground tyrant](/source/Puna_ground_tyrant)|| ''Muscisaxicola juninensis''|| Puna grassland |- |125px ||[Black-fronted ground tyrant](/source/Black-fronted_ground_tyrant)|| ''Muscisaxicola frontalis''|| southern Andes ;
winters in Puna grassland |- |} The [little ground tyrant](/source/little_ground_tyrant) was formerly placed in ''Muscisaxicola'' but was moved to the [monotypic](/source/monotypic) genus ''[Syrtidicola](/source/Syrtidicola)'' following the publication of a phylogenetic study in 2020.{{Cite journal | last1=Chesser | first1=R.T. | last2=Harvey | first2=M.H. | last3=Brumfield | first3=R.T. | last4=Derryberry | first4=E.P. | date=2020 | title=A revised classification of the Xolmiini (Aves: Tyrannidae: Fluvicolinae), including a new genus for ''Muscisaxicola fluviatilis'' | journal=Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington | volume=133 | issue=1 | pages=35–48 | doi=10.2988/20-00005 }} ==References== {{Reflist|refs= {{cite journal|author=Chesser, R. Terry|year=2000|url=http://www.nmnh.si.edu/vert/birds/pdf/rtc4.pdf|title=Evolution in the High Andes: the Phylogenetics of ''Muscisaxicola'' Ground-Tyrants|journal=Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution|volume=15|issue=3|pages=369–380|pmid=10860646|doi=10.1006/mpev.1999.0774|bibcode=2000MolPE..15..369C |citeseerx=10.1.1.533.7935|access-date=2007-07-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070609175732/http://www.nmnh.si.edu/vert/birds/pdf/rtc4.pdf|archive-date=2007-06-09|url-status=dead}} South American Classification Committee (2007) ''[http://www.museum.lsu.edu/~remsen/SACCBaseline06.html A classification of the bird species of South America, part 8] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070625182022/http://www.museum.lsu.edu/~remsen/SACCBaseline06.html |date=2007-06-25 }}''. citing {{cite journal|author=David N. & Gosselin M. |year=2002|title= The grammatical gender of avian genera|journal=Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club|volume=122|pages= 257–282}} }} ===Further reading=== *Jaramillo, Alvaro; Burke, Peter & Beadle, David (2003) ''Field Guide to the Birds of Chile'', Christopher Helm, London *Vuilleumier, François (1994) [https://sora.unm.edu/node/119193 Nesting, behavior, distribution and speciation of Patagonian and Andean ground tyrants (''Myiotheretes'', ''Xolmis'', ''Neoxolmis'', ''Agriornis'' and ''Muscisaxicola'')], ''Ornitologia Neotropical'', 5: 1–55 ==External links== Video, spottings and photos on Birds of the world. {{div col|colwidth=22em}} *''Muscisaxicola albifrons''—[https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/wfgtyr1/cur/introduction Videos and Photos] *''Muscisaxicola albilora''—[https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/wbgtyr1/cur/introduction Videos and Photos] *''Muscisaxicola alpinus''—[https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/plcgrt1/cur/introduction Videos and Photos] *''Muscisaxicola capistratus''—[https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/cibgrt1/cur/introduction Videos and Photos] *''Muscisaxicola cinereus''—[https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/cingrt1/cur/introduction Videos and Photos] *''Muscisaxicola flavinucha''—[https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/ongtyr1/cur/introduction Videos and Photos] *''Muscisaxicola frontalis''—[https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/bfgtyr1/cur/introduction Videos and Photos] *''Muscisaxicola griseus''—[https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/tacgrt1/cur/introduction Videos and Photos] *''Muscisaxicola juninensis''—[https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/pugtyr1/cur/introduction Videos and Photos] *''Muscisaxicola maclovianus''—[https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/dafgrt1/cur/introduction Videos and Photos] *''Muscisaxicola maculirostris''— [https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/sbgtyr1/cur/introduction Videos and Photos] *''Muscisaxicola rufivertex''—[https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/rngtyr1/cur/introduction Videos and Photos] {{div col end}} {{Passeriformes|T.|state=collapsed}} {{Taxonbar|from=Q1059499}} Category:Birds of the Andes Category:Birds of South America --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Ground tyrant](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ground_tyrant) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ground_tyrant?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.