Jamaican Elaenia
Myiopagis cotta
A rather small woodland flycatcher that is easily overlooked. It is the only flycatcher in its range with a short white eyebrow and no wingbars. Also note the crisp white crescent below its eye and small black bill. Often detected by its song, which consists of several rapid, loud, slightly squeaky, descending notes (typically five): “Tsi-Tsi-Tsi-Tsi-Tsa”. It is most often found feeding high within the forest.
Identification
The Jamaican elaenia measures 12–13 cm (4.7–5.1 in) from bill to tail and weighs 11.5–13 g (0.41–0.46 oz). Its plumage is a greenish-olive above, a whitish yellow below, and its head is slightly darker with feathers somewhat elongated, concealing their bright orange-yellow patch. Its wings and tail are a dusky olive color with yellow stripes throughout. Its bill is short and black along with its legs. Juvenile Jamaican elaenia lack the coronal patch on their head, has pale gray underparts, and their belly is more yellow.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Myiopagis cotta
- Authority
- (Gosse, 1849)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Tyrannidae
- Genus
- Myiopagis
Range and habitat
The Jamaican elaenia is native to Jamaica where 75% of its original forest has been cleared and what remains of that is majority second growth. The 25% that remains of original forest remains on high mountains and cliffs and places that are undisturbed by humans or places that prove to be more difficult to get to or uninhabitable land. Likewise, land in Jamaica is also protected by the John Crow national park. Their habitat is also exposed to hurricane damage, use of pesticides, plantations, forest removal, forest fires, and urbanization.
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
The conservation status of the Jamaican elaenia is currently at the "least concern" which is the lowest out of the seven possible options. There is still no concern for these birds to become "concerned" or "rare". The Jamaican elaenia has been observed every four to six years by the IUCN red list since 1988. For the first sixteen years, the bird's conservation status was unknown because it did not qualify for a population count that the IUCN deemed necessary to track. 2004 was the first year they were tracked and ranked at "least concern" which they have been ranked at since 2004 through the present. The population size is decreasing but is yet to decline enough to be considered vulnerable by the IUCN. For them to be vulnerable they would have to decrease in population by more than thirty percent to be considered.
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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Gray-headed Bushshrike
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A large, robust bushshrike with a chunky hook-tipped bill, a bright yellow eye, and a massive gray head with a small pale patch in front of the eye. Singles and pairs inhabit arid thornveld, broadleaf woodland, riverine forest, and thickets, seldom joining flocks. The species forages slowly and deliberately, hopping along branches diligently searching for large insects and small vertebrates. A low-pitched, extended sorrowful “whhooooooo” song is given up to 50 times in succession, along with other harsh clicks and rasps. Other similar large bushshrikes are rainforest specialists and have more pale in front of the eye.
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