Other Scientific Names
Agriornis montana [BirdLife International (2004)], Agriornis montana [Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993)], Agriornis montana [Stotz et al. (1996)]
Other Names (World)
Black-billed Shrike-Tyrant, Black-billed Ground-tyrant
Family
Tyrannidae (Tyrant-flycatchers)
Size
23 cm
First Described (Guide)
(D'Orbigny & Lafresnaye, 1837)
Habitat
Subtropical and tropical high altitude shrubland. From 1,800 - 4,500 m.
Black-billed Shrike-Tyrant (Agriornis montanus) [XC95143]
by John V. Moore from El Quemado, cuesta Ruta 52, Jujuy, Argentina (song)
Black-billed Shrike-Tyrant (Agriornis montanus) [XC361138]
by Cristian Pinto from Salta: Valle Encantado, Argentina (song)
Subspecies
Subspecies intermedius is likely to be a clinal variant of insolens, nominate and maritimus, as it is phenotypically and geographically intermediate between these three subspecies and does not exhibit a constant set of diagnosable features. Described subspecies leucurus (from Patagonia) merged with maritimus, from which it appears indistinguishable.
The following 6 subspecies are recognised:
solitarius Sclater, PL, 1859 - Andes of southern Colombia and Ecuador.
insolens Sclater, PL & Salvin, 1869 - Temperate zone of Peru.
intermedius Hellmayr, 1927 - Western Bolivia (La Paz, Oruro) and northern Chile (Tarapacá).
montanus (D'Orbigny & Lafresnaye, 1837) - Eastern and southern Bolivia and north-western Argentina (Jujuy south to Tucumán and La Rioja).
maritimus (d'Orbigny & Lafresnaye, 1837) - Andes of central and southern Chile (Tarapacá to Magallanes) and west-central and south-western Argentina (western Mendoza to western Santa Cruz). Also central Argentina, in hills of Córdoba, southern Buenos Aires and Somuncará Plateau.
fumosus Nores & Yzurieta, 1983 - Central Argentina (Sierras de Córdoba).
BirdLife International Species Factsheet