Their beak is a dark brown, and it is pointed rather than blunt. The tenca has long tail feathers in a very thin "V" shape, and their legs are equally as long, having the same color as their beak. They are more often than not using their long legs to jump around to look for bugs or small berries on the ground!
The first time I saw a tenca, I did a double take. I did not see the bird entirely, just the silhouette. From just a quick glance, I was initially convinced I had seen a northern mockingbird from my home! I remember leaning over and asking my partner if they had any mockingbirds in Chile, and they had told me, yes! They revealed to me that I had probably seen a tenca and that they are relatively common where they live. However, what threw me off about being told that I had actually seen a mockingbird was that their demeanor was different!
The northern mockingbird that I know is known to be quite bold and almost sassy! They are known to make jarring alarm calls, watch you from a distance, hop around to cause drama between other birds and mimic whatever may come into their radius. The tenca, on the other hand, was far more reserved, shy and more controlled with what they mimic. They are amazing at mimicking, just like northern mockingbirds, but they were certainly more selective with what they would like to sing!
The tenca lives exclusively in Chile and only within the central to central-southern region of the country. Their diet and camouflage make them prefer the semi-arid to nothern forest environment found around Santiago and near the area of Puerto Montt towards the south.
