Black-billed Flycatcher

Overview

The black-billed flycatcher (Aphanotriccus audax) is a Near Threatened species of tyrant flycatcher. It is a year-round resident found in eastern Panama and northern Colombia.

Identification

• Approximately 13 cm long with a short black bill and blackish legs.
• Upperparts are bright greenish olive with two pale buff wing bars, while the lower breast and belly are yellowish to greenish.
• Features an olive-gray crown, a thin white eye-ring, and a white stripe above the lores.
• Vocalisation is a loud, wheezy or burry call described as 'bee béé, be-be-be-bez, jee-jee-jew'.

Habitat

Found in eastern Panama and eastern Colombia, where it inhabits humid primary and mature secondary forests in the tropical zone. It prefers low dense vegetation near streams and swamps, often associating with bamboo stands from sea level up to 600 m.

Diet

Feeds on insects, typically foraging in pairs and rarely joining mixed-species flocks. It perches horizontally up to 4 m above the ground to sally out for prey or snatch it from foliage.

Did you know?

Despite a broad range of 222,000 km², the species is estimated to occupy only about 34,000 km² within it due to its preference for mature forests.