Common Miner
Geositta cunicularia
The common miner is a medium-size member of its genus. It is 14 to 17 cm (5.5 to 6.7 in) long and weighs 20 to 34 g (0.71 to 1.2 oz). The sexes are alike. The nominate subspecies G. c. cunicularia has a pale brownish face with a wide whitish supercilium and a vague darker "moustache" and line behind the eye. It has a dull grayish brown crown and upperparts; the former has dark brown spots. Its uppertail coverts are dull grayish brown with pale brownish tips. Its tail feathers have buff-whitish bases and blackish ends with pale rufescent between them. Voice: The common miner sings during a display flight. The nominate subspecies's song is two notes sounding like "ta whit-ta whit" and its flight call is "a nasal 'dee-dijer' or 'er?' ". The other subspecies sing "a loud, shrill...'de-dirr-rr-rrr' " and their flight calls are "a high-pitched 'keep' or rich, sweet 'pip' ". All subspecies make trilled notes as well.
ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Rufous-banded Miner
Geositta rufipennis
The rufous-banded miner is a medium to large member of its genus. It is 14 to 17 cm (5.5 to 6.7 in) long and weighs 25 to 54 g (0.88 to 1.9 oz). The sexes are alike. The nominate subspecies G. r. rufipennis has a brownish gray face with a pale supercilium and a dark gray-brown line behind the eye. It is dull sandy olive from its crown to its uppertail coverts. Its central tail feathers have dull tawny bases, grayish brown middles, a wide blackish band near the end, and dull tawny tips. The rest have progressively redder bases and smaller black bands to the outermost. Voice: The rufous-banded miner's song is "a fast series...of buzzy, trilled notes on the same pitch" that may include "bursts of faster notes". It is sung from a perch on a rock and during display flight.
ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Where you might meet both
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Play today's Daily BirdPhotos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Common Miner and Rufous-banded Miner.