Ovenbirds (Furnariidae)

Common Miner (Geositta cunicularia) - HBW 8, p. 241

French: Géositte mineuse German: Patagonienerdhacker Spanish: Minero Común

Taxonomy: Alauda cunicularia Vieillot, 1816, environs of Río de la Plata and in pampas of Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Plumage characters suggest closest relationship is with G. poeciloptera, G. tenuirostris and G. antarctica. Has been considered to form superspecies with G. peruviana, but this is unlikely. Vocal differences suggest that Andean races may constitute a separate species from lowland nominate race; deserticolor (with georgei) may represent another. Race fissirostris possibly indistinguishable from nominate. Racial identity of population in W Argentina (Salta S possibly to Mendoza) uncertain, presumed to be hellmayri. Distribution of races in.. View all taxonomy...

Taxonomy: Alauda cunicularia Vieillot, 1816, environs of Río de la Plata and in pampas of Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Plumage characters suggest closest relationship is with G. poeciloptera, G. tenuirostris and G. antarctica. Has been considered to form superspecies with G. peruviana, but this is unlikely. Vocal differences suggest that Andean races may constitute a separate species from lowland nominate race; deserticolor (with georgei) may represent another. Race fissirostris possibly indistinguishable from nominate. Racial identity of population in W Argentina (Salta S possibly to Mendoza) uncertain, presumed to be hellmayri. Distribution of races in need of careful review. Nine subspecies tentatively recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution:

  • juninensis Taczanowski, 1884 - Andes of C Peru (Junín, Huancavelica).
  • titicacae J. T. Zimmer, 1935 - Andes of S Peru (Ayacucho to Puno), Bolivia (La Paz and Cochabamba to Potosí), N Chile (Tarapacá) and NW Argentina (Jujuy to Mendoza).
  • frobeni ( R. A. Philippi [Krumwiede] & Landbeck, 1864) - Pacific slope of Andes in S Peru (Arequipa to Tacna).

     See all 9 subspecies
  • juninensis Taczanowski, 1884 - Andes of C Peru (Junín, Huancavelica).
  • titicacae J. T. Zimmer, 1935 - Andes of S Peru (Ayacucho to Puno), Bolivia (La Paz and Cochabamba to Potosí), N Chile (Tarapacá) and NW Argentina (Jujuy to Mendoza).
  • frobeni ( R. A. Philippi [Krumwiede] & Landbeck, 1864) - Pacific slope of Andes in S Peru (Arequipa to Tacna).
  • georgei Koepcke, 1965 - coastal S Peru (S Ica, W Arequipa).
  • deserticolor Hellmayr, 1924 - coastal S Peru (Arequipa) S to N Chile (N Atacama).
  • fissirostris ( Kittlitz, 1835) - C Chile from coast to Andes (S Atacama S to Llanquihué).
  • contrerasi Nores & Yzurieta, 1980 - WC Argentina (Sierras Grandes, in Córdoba).
  • hellmayri J. L. Peters, 1925 - Andes of C Chile (Malleco) and SW Argentina (C Neuquén to NW Chubut); presumably also this race in W Argentina (Salta and Tucumán S perhaps to Mendoza).
  • cunicularia ( Vieillot, 1816) - lowlands from E Argentina (S from S Córdoba and S Corrientes), extreme SE Brazil (SE Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul), Uruguay and S Chile (S from Aisén) S to Tierra del Fuego.