Ovenbirds (Furnariidae)

Puna Thistletail (Schizoeaca helleri) - HBW 8, p. 272

French: Synallaxe de Heller German: Punadistelschwanz Spanish: Piscuiz de la Puna
Other common names: Heller’s Thistletail

Taxonomy: Schizœaca helleri Chapman, 1923, Cedrobamba, 12,000 feet [c. 3660 m], Cuzco, Peru.
Forms a superspecies with other members of genus, as a series of non-overlapping mountain-top replacements, and all sometimes considered conspecific; their vocalizations seem fairly close, but plumage patterns differ to an extent not found within species-level taxa in the Furnariidae. Birds from S Puno (Peru), with darker plumage and probably significantly smaller body size, appear to represent an undescribed taxon. Monotypic.

Distribution: Andes of S Peru (Cuzco, Puno) and N Bolivia (extreme N La Paz).