Eared Pygmy Tyrant

Overview

The eared pygmy tyrant (Myiornis auricularis) is a very small bird in the tyrant flycatcher family, Tyrannidae. It is a year-round resident found across parts of South America and is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Identification

• Approximately 7 to 9 cm (2.8 to 3.5 in) in length, weighing about 5 g, with a large head relative to its body.
• Nominate subspecies feature a buffish cinnamon area surrounding the eye, whitish ear coverts with a black crescent behind them, and a black patch below the eye.
• Upperparts are bright olive, while underparts are bright yellow with olive streaks and a white throat with thin black streaks.
• Song is described as a very high, short, clear trill often preceded by a lower 'wit', sounding like 'wit-trruh'.

Habitat

A bird of the Atlantic Forest, it primarily inhabits dense vegetation at the edges of humid forest, occasionally occurring in the forest interior or in trees in adjoining meadows. Its range spans from eastern Brazil through eastern Paraguay into northeastern Argentina, at elevations from sea level to about 1,250 m (4,100 ft).

Diet

The eared pygmy tyrant feeds on insects, mostly foraging in the lower and middle levels of the vegetation up to about 3 m (10 ft) above the ground. It captures prey using short upward sallies from a perch to grab it from leaves.

Did you know?

The female incubates the clutch of two or three eggs alone, but both parents are involved in provisioning the nestlings.