Olivaceous Elaenia

Overview

The olivaceous elaenia (Elaenia mesoleuca) is a small tyrant flycatcher found in parts of South America. It is a monotypic species that inhabits humid forests and associated woodland habitats across Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Argentina.

Identification

• Measures 14 to 16 cm in length with a weight of 16 to 20 g, lacking a crest and showing identical plumage in both sexes.
• Features a dull olive crown and upperparts, a white eyering, and two wing bars formed by yellowish or white tips on the coverts.
• Displays a dull gray throat, olive vest-like breast, white belly, and whitish flanks with a yellow wash, complemented by a black bill with a dusky pinkish base and black legs.
• Primary vocalisations include a clapping 'Vrih' or 'Vri-der', alongside quick notes such as 'pic', 'oink', and 'wow'.

Habitat

Found from southern Goiás and southern Bahia in eastern Brazil south through eastern Paraguay, eastern Uruguay, and northern Argentina, the species ranges in elevation from sea level to 2,000 m. It inhabits the interior, edges, and clearings of humid tropical forests, as well as gallery forest, secondary forest, and more open woodlands.

Did you know?

The nest is constructed with fungal haphae, a substance produced by the hyphae of fungi, mixed with moss and plant fibers to line the cup. The species was not recorded in Uruguay until the year 2000, marking a relatively recent expansion of its known range.