Cattle Tyrant

Machetornis rixosa

Medium sized flycatcher with fairly widespread range in South America. Superficially resembles a Tropical Kingbird with olive-brown back, yellow belly, and grayish crown. However, Cattle Tyrant is unique for typically being found on or near the ground, where pairs or small flocks follow grazing animals. Found in open habitats including farmland and marshes.

Identification

The cattle tyrant is a highly terrestrial tyrant-flycatcher, 20 cm (7.9 in) long and weighing 29–40 g (1.0–1.4 oz). The plumage of the nominate subspecies is mostly olive-brown above and yellow below. The head is grey with a thin eyestripe and a white throat. The thin bill and legs are black. The two other subspecies vary from the nominate in having a yellow throat.

Taxonomy

Genus: Machetornis; Family: Tyrannidae; Order: Passeriformes.

Scientific name
Machetornis rixosa
Authority
(Vieillot, 1819)
Order
Passeriformes
Family
Tyrannidae
Genus
Machetornis

Range and habitat

The species has a disjunct distribution, with the nominate race breeding from northern Argentina and Bolivia to the north-eastern tip of Brazil, and the two other subspecies ranging from Panama to Venezuela and eastern Ecuador. The species inhabits drier open and semi-open habitats, and avoided forested and wooded areas. It can be found in savannah, pastureland, parkland, agricultural land and even gardens. Due to deforestation, the species has recently colonized areas where it was previously absent, such as northeast Ecuador.

Migration
Resident species

Behavior

Migration pattern: Resident species.

Conservation

Population trend: stable.

Population trend
stable

Photos

Distribution

Bird Calls

Other Birds

MacGillivray's Prion

MacGillivray's Prion

Pachyptila macgillivrayi

A pale powder-blue-and-white seabird with a faint grayish dark “M” across the upperwings. Note the dark blue “thumb mark” collar, the blue eye-stripe, the white eyebrow, the white throat, and the grayish cap. Restricted to two known breeding islands, Saint Paul in the South Indian Ocean, and Gough in the South Atlantic. Almost identical to Antarctic Prion, but bulkier and more heavy-chested, with a slightly wider bill. All but inseparable from Salvin’s Prion, with which it shares the breeding island of Gough, and with which it was once considered one species; MacGillivray’s is incrementally broader-billed, but birds seen at sea may not be identifiable.

Lineated Foliage-gleaner

Lineated Foliage-gleaner

Syndactyla subalaris

Fairly small brown bird, shows a thin buffy line behind the eye and thin buffy streaking all over head, back, and underparts. Throat is cleaner buffy. In many parts of range, this is the only foliage-gleaner with such obvious streaking. In some regions, beware treehunters, which are larger and longer-billed. Found in montane forests, where it usually follows mixed flocks through the forest understory. Stays in the lower levels, probing around tangles and leaf clusters. Listen for series of forced nasal notes.

Northern Red-billed Hornbill

Northern Red-billed Hornbill

Tockus erythrorhynchus

A fairly small, slim, long-tailed hornbill. Note the red bill, the pink or red bare facial skin, and the heavily spotted back. The eye is dark in most of the range, but birds in some parts of East Africa show a pale eye. White patches on the wing and outer tail are conspicuous in flight. Found in savanna and thornscrub. Similar to Western and Tanzanian Red-billed Hornbills, but separated from both by the pale rather than black bare skin around the eye. Call is a series of clucks that starts with single notes, then becomes louder and more emphatic, with doubled notes. 

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