Birds
Des Murs's Wiretail
Sylviorthorhynchus desmursii · also called des murs wiretail
Trailing a wire-thin tail several times longer than its own tiny body, Des Murs’s wiretail moves quietly through dense southern beech forest understorey, the sole member of a genus found nowhere else in the world.
Overview
Des Murs’s wiretail, Sylviorthorhynchus desmursii, is a Least Concern bird native to forest habitat across southern Chile and Argentina. Its extraordinarily disproportionate tail, unique taxonomic position as the only member of its genus, and quiet, unobtrusive forest lifestyle make it one of the most visually unusual yet easily overlooked songbirds found anywhere in South America.
A tail far bigger than the bird carrying it
Barely noticeable in the dense understorey it calls home, Des Murs’s wiretail becomes instantly memorable the moment its absurdly long, thread-like tail comes into view, a body plan so extreme that the bird itself seems almost an afterthought.
Status
Least Concern, remaining widespread and generally stable across suitable southern beech forest habitat in southern Chile and Argentina.
Des Murs's Wiretail: common questions
Why is Des Murs's wiretail so distinctive?
This species carries an extraordinarily long, wire-thin tail several times the length of its own body, one of the most extreme tail proportions found in any songbird.
Is Des Murs's wiretail closely related to other birds?
Not especially closely, this species is the only living member of its own genus, a distinct evolutionary lineage among the wider ovenbird family it belongs to.
What kind of habitat does Des Murs's wiretail need?
This species is closely tied to dense southern beech forest understorey, rarely found in more open or disturbed habitat.
Is Des Murs's wiretail easy to spot in the forest?
Not usually, this species moves quietly through dense vegetation and is often overlooked despite its unusual tail, since it rarely calls attention to itself.