Boat-billed Tody-Tyrant
Hemitriccus josephinae
Tiny, inconspicuous flycatcher with an oversized bill. Plumage generally olive above and yellow below, with faint breast mottling; most readily identified by its large, long bill with entirely pale mandible. A rare resident of tall rainforest, where it seems to prefer areas with many dense vine tangles. Usually encountered alone, sitting deep inside a vine tangle in the mid-story and making short sallies to foliage for insects. Almost always first detected by voice: a series of two or three short hollow notes, somewhat musical and descending in pitch. Unlikely to be confused if seen well, on account of its large bill. Voice is somewhat similar to that of Pelzeln’s Tody-Tyrant but is deeper and seldom exceeds three notes; the two species occupy entirely different habitats.
Identification
The boat-billed tody-tyrant (Hemitriccus josephinae) is a species of bird in the family Tyrannidae, the tyrant flycatchers. It is found in Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, and Suriname.
Taxonomy
Genus: Hemitriccus; Family: Tyrannidae; Order: Passeriformes.
- Scientific name
- Hemitriccus josephinae
- Authority
- (Chubb, C, 1914)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Tyrannidae
- Genus
- Hemitriccus
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Migration pattern: Resident species.
Conservation
Population trend: declining.
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
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A beautiful bushshrike of dry country. Both sexes are gray, black, and white, though females are somewhat duller. Always shows some red on the crown, but there is geographical variation: crown is fully red in some areas and partially black in other areas. Found in dry savanna and thornscrub with dense undergrowth. Generally uncommon and inconspicuous. The distinctive song is a duet in which the male gives a loud, nasal “kwee” and the female makes a ratcheting series.
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