Birding in Peru VI: Ash-breasted Tit-Tyrant

The Ash-breasted Tit-Tyrant: A High-Altitude Specialist

The Ash-breasted Tit-Tyrant (Anairetes alpinus) is a small bird from the tyrant flycatcher family (Tyrannidae), native to the high-altitude regions of Bolivia and Peru. It thrives in Polylepis and Gynoxys woodlands, typically found on steep slopes at elevations of 3,700–4,600 meters.

Physical Features

• Size: 13–13.5 cm long
• Crest: Prominent and blackish
• Coloration:
  • Dark gray upperparts with faint streaks
  • Ash-gray breast
  • Whitish or pale yellow belly

Behavior and Diet

The Ash-breasted Tit-Tyrant is an insectivorous bird that actively forages in small groups or mixed-species flocks.

Foraging Habits

• Searches for insects in tree branches
• Uses short flights to hover and capture prey
• Often joins mixed feeding flocks for better foraging efficiency

Breeding

• Limited breeding data available
• Active nests recorded in November
• Young birds observed in December, suggesting breeding aligns with the end of the dry season

Conservation Status

• Classified as Endangered (IUCN)
• Habitat loss due to deforestation and fragmentation of Polylepis woodlands as well as heavy grazing (cattle and sheep which have replaced camelids)
• Preserving Polylepis forests is key to ensuring the survival of this unique high-altitude species