Atlantic Royal Flycatcher
Onychorhynchus swainsoni
Endemic to southeastern Brazil. Uncommon, medium-sized, overall brown flycatcher of humid tropical forest in lowlands. Note the hammerhead crest—very rarely fully raised to reveal spectacular, flame-red fan with violet-blue-black tips. Otherwise looks rather flat-headed. Also note the long bill, and pale cinnamon rump and tail. Usually found as singles or pairs in mid-levels of dense forest, where flutters actively after insects. Nest is a straggly mass of dead vegetation up to 3 feet long that hangs from the tip of a branch, often along streambeds. Often detected by single sharp squeaky calls.
Identification
The Atlantic royal flycatcher is 16 to 16.5 cm (6.3 to 6.5 in) long. One specimen weighed 23.5 g (0.83 oz). This large-billed flycatcher has a spectacular, but rarely seen, crest. The upper parts are mostly dull brown with a bright cinnamon rump and tail. It has a whitish throat and ochraceous buff underparts. It has an erectile fan-shaped crest that when raised is scarlet, black, and blue in the male and yellow, black, and blue in the female.
Taxonomy
The IOC considers the Atlantic royal flycatcher and three other royal flycatcher taxa to be separate species and places them in the family Tityridae. The North and South American Classification Committees of the American Ornithological Society (AOS) consider the four to be subspecies of the widespread royal flycatcher (Onychorhynchus coronatus sensu lato). The AOS places O. coronatus in family Onychorhynchidae and includes four other flycatcher species in that family. <p>The Clements taxonomy treats the Atlantic royal flycatcher as a species but places it in family Oxyruncidae with several other flycatcher species and the sharpbill. IOC considers all of them to be in Tityridae.<p>The Atlantic royal flycatcher is monotypic.
- Scientific name
- Onychorhynchus swainsoni
- Authority
- (Pelzeln, 1858)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Onychorhynchidae
- Genus
- Onychorhynchus
Range and habitat
The Atlantic royal flycatcher is found only in the Atlantic forest of southeastern Brazil, from Bahia State south to northern Santa Catarina State. It inhabits humid lowlands, both primary evergreen and second growth forests. It is a bird of the midstory.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
All of the royal flycatchers are insectivorous.<p>The Atlantic royal flycatcher's nest is long and narrow and is suspended from a branch or vine, usually above water. The clutch is two eggs; only the female incubates them and broods and feeds the nestlings. Breeding appears to be in the austral spring, because nest-building was recorded in October and eggs were laid in November. In another area, a juvenile was seen in January.<p>The Atlantic royal flycatcher is usually inconspicuous and quiet. Its song is "a descending, slowing series of plaintive whistles" [1] and its call a repeated "keeeyup or keee-yew" [2].
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
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