Tepui Whitestart

Overview

The tepui whitestart, also known as the tepui redstart (Myioborus castaneocapilla), is a small bird in the New World warbler family Parulidae. It is currently assessed as a species of Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, though its population is believed to be decreasing due to potential threats such as climate change.

Identification

• Approximately 13 cm long with a weight between 7.5 and 12 g; sexes are identical in plumage.
• Features a mostly gray head with a rufous crown, thin white crescents above and below the eye, and a pale gray stripe above the lores.
• Underparts are yellow with white undertail coverts; upperparts are gray with an olive tinge, and the tail is black with extensive white on the outer feathers and tip.
• Song is described as a thin, unmusical trill that accelerates and drops in pitch, accompanied by a sharp 'tsip' call.

Habitat

This species has a disjunct distribution in the tepui region where Venezuela, Guyana, and Brazil meet, inhabiting the edges and clearings of primary and secondary montane forest. It occupies elevations between 1,200 and 2,200 m and is a sedentary year-round resident.

Diet

The tepui whitestart feeds on insects and is assumed to also consume other arthropods. Pairs forage primarily by gleaning from the understory to the middle levels of the forest and often join mixed-species feeding flocks.

Did you know?

Nothing is known about the breeding biology of the tepui whitestart.