Ashy-headed Greenlet

Overview

The ashy-headed greenlet (Hylophilus pectoralis) is a small bird in the family Vireonidae, classified as Least Concern by the IUCN. It is a sedentary, year-round resident found across parts of South America, notably within the Amazon Basin.

Identification

• Size and mass: Approximately 12 cm in length, weighing between 10.3 and 12.4 g.
• Plumage: Dull grayish head, greenish upperparts, and a greenish-yellow breast; both sexes are similar in appearance.
• Bill and legs: Dark brown upper bill, lighter brown lower bill, and pink-brown legs.
• Song: A high, hurried 'Wéeje-Wéeje-Wéeje' followed by a rapid 'tutjeweé' series, or a loud, sharp 'WúTjirrrr'.

Habitat

Found in Bolivia, Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela, the species inhabits deciduous forests, riverine forests, woodlands, and edges of mangroves. It typically occurs from sea level up to 400 m, reaching 500 m in Peru, and is noted for its adaptability to modified habitats.

Diet

Primarily consuming insects and some plant matter such as mistletoe berries, the bird forages actively at the outer edges of trees and bushes. It frequently joins mixed-species feeding flocks.

Did you know?

Both sexes cooperate to build an open cup nest woven between two branches, and they share incubation duties for a clutch of two white eggs speckled with black.