Social Flycatcher
Myiozetetes similis
Looks like a mini version of Boat-billed Flycatcher; in particular note Social’s small bill. Common in tropical and subtropical areas, especially in semi-open areas with trees and hedges, woodland edge, towns, gardens. Often noisy and ‘social’ (some of its calls suggest parakeets); usually found in pairs or small groups, often perching conspicuously. Eats a lot of berries, and often occurs alongside Boat-billed Flycatcher and Great Kiskadee in fruiting figs and other trees.
Identification
In appearance, the social flycatcher resembles a smaller boat-billed flycatcher or great kiskadee. The adult is 16–18 cm (6.3–7.1 in) long and weighs 24–27 g (0.85–0.95 oz). The head is dark grey with a strong white eyestripe and a usually concealed orange to vermilion crown stripe. The upperparts are olive-brown, and the wings and tail are brown with only faint rufous fringes. The underparts are yellow and the throat is white. Young birds have a paler eye mask, reduced crown stripe, and have chestnut fringes to the wing and tail feathers. The call is a sharp peeurrr and the dawn song is a chips-k’-cheery.<p>As the specific epithet similis (Latin for "the similar one") indicates, this species looks much like its closest living relative the rusty-margined flycatcher (Myiozetetes cayanensis), and also like the white-bearded flycatcher (Phelpsia inornatus), white-ringed flycatcher (Conopias albovittatus) and lesser kiskadee (Pitangus/Philohydor lictor). In fact, except at close range, these are all but indistinguishable from appearance alone. They and the two larger similar species mentioned above share much of their range. Though they all are apparently fairly close relatives, the group to which they seem to belong also includes species with rather different head-pattern, like the grey-capped flycatcher which also belongs to Myiozetetes.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Myiozetetes similis
- Authority
- (Spix, 1825)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Tyrannidae
- Genus
- Myiozetetes
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Tagula Shrikethrush
Colluricincla discolor
A chunky bird with a notably thick dark bill. Fairly nondescript: olive-brown on the upperparts and paler below. Found at low and middle elevations, in the understory and at middle levels of humid forest. Rich, melodious, variable song consists of whistles and rasping notes, often in an up-and-down pattern. Within its limited range, most likely to be confused with female Louisiade Whistler, but drabber overall, without yellow underparts.
Blue-headed Crested Flycatcher
Trochocercus nitens
A locally common but easily overlooked flycatcher of forest and forest edge. Has a distinctive crested flycatcher shape but more warbler-like behavior, sitting laterally on perches and moving its tail around as it forages. Male has a glossy black head, throat, back, wings, and tail, with a pale gray belly. Female is pale gray all over, slightly darker on the back, wings, and tail, with a blackish cap. Song is an ethereal, hollow “wo-wo-wo-wo-wo-wo-wo-wo-wo,” rising in pitch, reminiscent of a fast White-spotted Flufftail. Calls include harsh chatters and rattles.
Plain-breasted Piculet
Picumnus castelnau
Relatively plain piculet found in dense riverine and secondary vegetation along the Amazon and its tributaries in Peru, barely making it into southernmost Colombia and westernmost Brazil. Plumage generally pale below with a brownish back. Note the dark spots in the ear coverts; the short, sharp bill; and the glossy red feathers in the male’s crown. Song is a very high-pitched series of thin whistles, dropping at the end.
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