Fr: Picotelle à gorge blanche
Ang: White-throated Treerunner
All: Kleiberbaumspäher
Esp: Picolezna Comesebo
Ita: Corritronchi golabianca
Nd: Witkeelboomjager
Sd: vitstrupig trädlöpare
Photographers:
John Anderson
John Anderson Photo Galleries
Ken Havard
My Bird Gallery & Flickr gallery 1 & Flickr gallery 2
Eduardo Andrés Jordan
MIS AVES – AVES DE ARGENTINA
Dubi Shapiro
Dubi Shapiro Photo Galleries
Illustrator:
John Gould: 1804-1881
Illustration’s origin:
The zoology of the voyage of H.M.S. Beagle, under the command of captain Fitzroy, R.N., during the years 1832 to 1836. Part III, birds
Text by Nicole Bouglouan
Sources:
HANDBOOK OF THE BIRDS OF THE WORLD Vol 8 By Josep del Hoyo-Andrew Elliott-David Christie - Lynx Edicions - ISBN: 8487334504
BIRDS OF SOUTH AMERICA – Passerines - by Robert S. Ridgely and Guy Tudor – HELM Field Guides – ISBN: 9781408113424
Birda
Sistema de Información de Biodiversidad de la Administración de Parques Nacionales, Argentina
Biodiversity Heritage Library - Use of tree species by White-throated treerunner (Pygarrhichas albogularis King) in a secondary native forest of southern Chile
Morphological description of the White-throated treerunner (Pygarrhichas albogularis, King 1831) in the Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve, Chile
Fatbirder - Furnariidae – Ovenbirds
CREAGUS@Monterey Bay (Don Roberson)
Wikipedia, la enciclopedia libre
Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia
White-throated Treerunner
Pygarrhichas albogularis
Passeriformes Order – Furnariidae Family
INTRODUCTION:
The White-throated Treerunner is found in Chile and Argentina, from Santiago and Mendoza to Tierra del Fuego.
This arboreal species frequents tall, temperate forests, feeding on insects while foraging on trunks and branches in nuthatch-like manner. It is often seen moving easily downward on large tree trunks.
The species is suspected to be monogamous. Both adults excavate a nest-hole in dead branch, but they also may use an abandoned cavity. It is only lined with the wood chips resulting of the excavation. It breeds during the austral spring-summer, when the food resources are abundant.
The White-throated Treerunner is the only species in the genus Pygarrhichas in the family Furnariidae. It is the only member of the family to peck in wood with its long, upswept bill. In addition, the well-stiffened tail with long, protruding “spines” helps the bird to climb around trees and to move rapidly on tree trunks.
The species was described in 1831 by Phillip Parker King (1791-1856), a British explorer of Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego.
It is considered as “fairly common” although being declining due to habitat loss. But currently, the species is not globally threatened.
DESCRIPTION OF THE BIRD:
Biometrics:
Length: 15-16 cm
Weight: 20-27 g
The White-throated Treerunner is reminiscent of a nuthatch (genus Sitta), both in shape and in its way on moving on tree trunks.
On the upperparts, the back is dark brown with variable chestnut tinge. Rump and uppertail-coverts are rufous-chestnut.
On the upperwing, the coverts are dark brown with chestnut-rufous edges, but the primary coverts are darker. The flight-feathers are very dark with narrow, rufous edges, often broader on bases of tertials. The inner primaries show a short, bright chestnut wingbar.
The rather short, rufous tail is well-stiffened, and the feather tips show prominent “spines” (9mm long) and reduced barbs.
On the underparts, chin, throat, foreneck and centre of upper breast are pure white. Breast sides and flanks are dark chestnut. Centre of belly and undertail-coverts are white with dark brown edges, involving an irregular scaled pattern.
On the head, the crown is dark dull brown and the face is slightly darker, mostly blackish-brown. An indistinct blackish stripe extends from the lores to the ear-coverts, separating the brown crown from the white cheeks.
The bill is long, slender and upswept towards the tip. The upper mandible is dark brown or dark grey, and the lower mandible is paler, mostly whitish to pale greyish.
The eyes are dark brown.
Legs and feet are dark grey to blackish or brown.
Male and female are similar.
The juvenile resembles adults, but crown and back are heavily streaked with ochraceous, and the throat feathers show some dark margins.
RANGE:
The White-throated Treerunner occurs in C and S Chile and W Argentina, from Santiago and Mendoza to Tierra del Fuego. The species is native to the southern tip of the American continent.
HABITAT:
The White-throated Treerunner frequents humid to semi-humid forests with large trees, dominated by Nothofagus. The trees are used both for foraging and nesting.
The species is visible from sea-level to 1,200 metres of elevation.
CALLS AND SONGS: SOUNDS BY XENO-CANTO
The White-throated Treerunner produces a short, piercing call, similar to a rapid succession of water droplets. The contact call is a loud, fast, metallic “kik-ik”, “tsi-dik” or “tsik” rapidly repeated. In flight, it gives a dry “tick”.
We can also hear a loud “peet peet” given while the bird swings its head to one side, pauses, and then, swings far in the opposite direction.
BEHAVIOUR IN THE WILD:
The White-throated Treerunner feeds on arthropods, mainly adult and larvae of Coleopterans.
It forages and feeds by creeping over the bark of large to small tree trunks, often Nothofagus dombeyi species. It usually moves up the trunk and out the branches. It moves in a jerky manner, descends from the trunk head first, often spiralling around the trunk while searching for prey in every crevice. It digs out larvae from under the bark with its upswept bill.
It uses its tail for support like a woodpecker, but its feeding behaviour is mainly similar to nuthatches (Genus Sitta).
It usually forages alone, but also regularly in mixed flocks with the Thorn-tailed Rayadito.
The White-throated Treerunner is thought to be monogamous. Both adults excavate the nest in tree trunk, about 3-8 metres above the ground. They also may use an abandoned cavity by woodpecker.
The courtship displays are unknown, but probably simple, as both mates have similar plumage.
Both adults share all the nesting duties.
The White-throated Treerunner is endemic to the temperate forests of South America, and inhabits the world’s southernmost forests. It is sedentary, but sometimes erratic outside the breeding season.
The flight is straight, after which the bird “sticks” to the trunk before climbing obliquely or in a spiral.
REPRODUCTION OF THIS SPECIES:
The White-throated Treerunner breeds during the austral spring-summer, from October to January, and probably also during the wet season, when the food resources are available. The laying is reported in November-December.
Both mates excavate a cavity in tree trunk, often a rotting part of the tree, about 3-8 metres above the ground. The species may also use abandoned holes by woodpeckers, and nest-boxes are occasionally used too.
The cavity is 25-40 cm deep. Inside, the lining is only provided by the wood chips from the excavation. Only one observation reports a lining made with grasses and plant material.
The female lays 2-3 white eggs. Both adults incubate and rear the chicks.
More information is needed.
PROTECTION / THREATS / STATUS:
The White-throated Treerunner is described as “fairly common”. It is present in several protected areas in Chile, Argentina and Tierra del Fuego National Park.
The species is suspected to be declining due to habitat loss. Its range is estimated at 470 000 km².
The White-throated Treerunner is currently evaluated as Least Concern.
