Rufous-tailed Flatbill
Ramphotrigon ruficauda
Smallish flycatcher, characteristic of forests on sandy soils and seasonally flooded forests. Heard more often than seen. Best told by bright rufous tail and flight feather edges contrasting with greenish-brown body. Singles or pairs inhabit the mid-story of tall forest and typically do not associate with other species. Sits upright and sallies to foliage for insects. In western Amazonia, told from Dusky-tailed Flatbill by clearer (less mottled) breast and extensive rufous in wings and tail. Voice is a single, lazy whistle, with characteristic strong inflection in the middle.
Taxonomy
The genus Ramphotrigon used to be considered to be related to Tolmomyias and Rhynchocyclus, two other genera of small tyrant flycatchers with broad bills . It is proposed that Ramphotrigon was more closely related to Myiarchus, due to shared derived features of the cranium and syrinx, and to shared similarities in nest site. Two recent phylogenetic analyses of DNA sequence data yielded somewhat incongruent information on the relationships of Ramphotrigon. Both studies confirmed, however, that Ramphotrigon is not at all closely related to Tolmomyias or Rhynchocyclus. It is found that Ramphotrigon is basal to a clade that includes Myiarchus (as well as Tyrannus and related genera),
- Scientific name
- Ramphotrigon ruficauda
- Authority
- (Spix, 1825)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Tyrannidae
- Genus
- Ramphotrigon
Range and habitat
It occurs in humid lowland evergreen forest. It usually forages in the midstory of terra firme forest. It prefers sites with an open understory.
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
White-collared Blackbird
Turdus albocinctus
This aptly-named species has a bright white collar, which is its most notable field mark. Like most other blackbirds, males are predominantly black while females are dark brown. Breeds in alpine and upper subalpine meadows, open forests, and gardens where it forages on the ground, often singly or in pairs. Sometimes descends to upper foothills in the winter.
Red-crowned Malimbe
Malimbus coronatus
Adult female is an all glossy black forest weaver; adult male is similar but with a red oval patch on the crown that is not always easily seen. Juvenile is matte black with a chestnut crown. Scarce and patchily distributed, preferring the canopy of tall primary and secondary lowland and swamp forest. Often found in pairs. Vocalizations include a complex medley of weaver-like chittering “che-chur-chet” and electrical buzzing “dzrrrrrrr” and high-pitched downslurred “teooot-teoot” notes. Female cannot be safely separated from Black-throated Malimbe unless male is present.
Magdalena Antbird
Sipia palliata
Medium-sized, short-tailed antbird with a bright red eye. Has slate gray head and breast, black throat, brown belly and upperparts, and whitish dotted wings. Female is similar but has a white barred throat and buffy dots in the wings. No overlap with the similar Dull-mantled or Esmeraldas Antbirds. Often found in pairs, typically in rocky shaded ravines along streams in foothills. Often quite vocal; song a strong, relatively high-pitched series of notes “fee-feet-feet-FEET-feteu-feek!”, and call is a harsh “FEeuh.”
Start Your Bird Watching Journey
Identify a bird outdoors and keep the field guide close for your next observation.