In the ground tyrant hole

Since their appearance, ground tyrants have become very diversified, with a widespread distribution across all Polarica and nearly any medium-large island of Antarctica. Some species are adapted to live in the cold temperate forests of Elephant island, while others are in the freezing immense tundra of Polarica. Their size varies from a blackbird to a turkey, based on their ecology and food abundance.

 The sturdiest species is surely the tussok tyrant (Novarambo tussokii), which lives in the internal territories of Wilkes; those areas possess a tundra-like habitat dominated by tussok grasses  (ex. Gargapoa pulchra), that can exceed 3 meters high (9.8 feet). This creates a sort of bizarre frosty savanna, with small and abundant palm-like herbs. During polar nights, the Wilkes territories can reach -35°C (-31°F): to survive these freezing temperatures, tussok tyrants enlarge a room of their den and use it for stocking food. Seeds and fruits of the good season are stored there and are slowly eaten during the coldest day of the year, without leaving their home. While tussok tyrant colonies are very sedentary, the common geloquail (Alpigena alpigena) is nomadic, following bullducks' herds, which periodically migrate from steep areas to lowlands when winter approaches. They are often called the ducks' sentries, since they are often the first to see approaching predators, alerting bullducks and other birds with a long whistle. Their dens are not deep and very simple, a trade-off for their nomadic life. Aside from plant matter, geloquails often eat ducktails poops, which are full of insect larvae. A separate lineage of geloquails was able to colonize even Marie Byrd, despite the absence of very large anatids on the island: the Marie geloquail (Alpigena insularis). This species is taller and elongated than its cousin since they've become completely adapted to running, creating a small nest on the surface like a gamefowl. It's the very first ground tyrant that has lost its flight capacities.

Moving into the austral forests, the most abundant ground tyrant would be probably the birdbadger (Fossorapteris meles), a small but stocky bird that can create very complex tunnels underground. They are extremely social, with dens of different colonies often connecting to share space: it is believed that a birdbadger could easily cross the entire territory of the D.D. without moving outside the underground. Birdbadgers are also the most carnivorous ground tyrants: despite they mainly eating plants, a consistent part of their diet (20-40%) comprises wormflies and other ground invertebrates.

Cover photo by my friend Enrico M.  Perlini