Rufous-breasted Flycatcher

Overview

The rufous-breasted flycatcher (Leptopogon rufipectus) is a monotypic species of tyrant flycatcher found in the Andes of western South America. It is assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN and is considered fairly common in Venezuela, Colombia, and Peru, though uncommon and local in Ecuador.

Identification

• Small bird measuring 13 to 13.5 cm in length with a weight between 10 and 18 g.
• Features a gray crown, olive green back, and rufous throat and breast contrasted with a pale olive yellow belly.
• Has a dusky face with a dusky crescent behind the ear coverts, brown irises, a black or dark brown bill, and gray or bluish gray legs.
• Most heard vocalization is a loud, emphatic 'skwee!' sometimes run together into a fast series of shrill sputtered notes.

Habitat

This species inhabits the interior and edges of humid montane forest and secondary forest in the subtropical and lower temperate zones. It is distributed across Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, typically at elevations ranging from 1,600 to 2,800 m depending on the country.

Diet

The diet is known to consist mostly of arthropods, though specific details are lacking. It forages from the forest understory to the middle level, sitting erect on a perch and hovering or snatching prey from leaves and twigs in short sallies.

Did you know?

The nest is typically suspended from a root or vine below an overhanging earth bank and is almost always built by or very near a stream.