Scrub Greenlet
Hylophilus flavipes
Small vireo-like bird, olive above and yellowish below with a grayer head. Quite nondescript but look for pointy pink bill, and in most populations, a pale eye. Birds on Tobago have dark eyes. Sexes alike. Prefers scrubby second growth, usually low. Often seen in pairs. Listen for simple series of whistled notes.
Taxonomy
There are currently seven recognized subspecies of scrub greenlets. They are sorted into two groups: Central American and Southern American. The first group, the scrub greenlet (yellow-green), is a subspecies found in Central America, and it is known as conspecific with H. flavipes. These scrub greenlets have dark yellow underparts and bright green upperparts. This group encompasses two subspecies: Hylophilus flavipes viridiflavus and Hylophilus flavipes xuthus. H. flavipes viridiflavus has been sighted in Southwestern Costa Rica, Panama, and on the Pacific coast, east to the lower Bayano River. H. flavipes xuthus is similar to H. flavipes viridiflavus but it is less yellow in color, has darker green flanks and upperparts, and has a heavier bill. It has been sighted on Coiba Island. <p>The second group, scrub greenlet (scrub) is the grouping of subspecies found in South America, and it is known as conspecific with H. viridiflavus and H. insularis. It encompasses four subspecies:<p>The third grouping of scrub greenlets is the scrub greenlet (Tobago) and it includes one subspecies: H. insularis. It is found in Tobago and is larger than the nominate subspecies.
- Scientific name
- Hylophilus flavipes
- Authority
- Lafresnaye, 1845
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Vireonidae
- Genus
- Hylophilus
Range and habitat
Scrub greenlets inhabit forest edges, savanna, and light woodland areas of lower sea level.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
They build a deep cup nest suspended from a tree branch. A typical scrub greenlet's clutch consists of three white eggs, which are marked with brown. While current population size is unknown, it is not believed to be diminishing, so the species is evaluated as Least Concern.<p>They are known to hang upside-down to forage for food. Scrub greenlets feed on insects and spiders taken from the upper and middle levels of tree foliage. They also eat berries, especially before migration. Scrub greenlets are also known to occasionally join mixed species flocks. A mixed feeding flock is used by foraging birds to increase feeding efficiency and form protection from predators. Mixed species flocks tend to be larger in the tropics compared to temperate rainforests, but remains a phenomenon that has puzzled researchers for a long time.
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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