Ornate Flycatcher

Overview

The ornate flycatcher (Myiotriccus ornatus) is a species of bird in the family Tyrannidae, commonly known as the tyrant flycatchers. It is the only species within its genus, Myiotriccus, and is found in the Andean regions of Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.

Identification

• Approximately 11 to 12 cm in length, with adults of the nominate subspecies displaying a mostly black head featuring a white crescent in front of the eye and a partly hidden bright yellow crown patch.
• Plumage includes a deep olive back, a bright golden-yellow rump, and a bright golden-yellow belly, with dusky black wings and a tail that is bright rufous at the base and dusky black on the outer half.
• Possesses a black bill and black or brown legs and feet, with a dark brown iris in the nominate subspecies.
• Dawn song described as a sharp note followed by a chippering trill, transcribed as 'PSEW! tititititi'.

Habitat

This species inhabits humid montane forest, mature secondary forest, and woodlands in the Andean foothills, with a preference for dark mossy ravines and open edges such as landslides and gaps from fallen trees. Its range extends across Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, typically at elevations between 600 and 2,400 m, though it may occur lower in northwest Ecuador.

Diet

The diet is believed to consist mostly of insects, though specific details are not fully documented. The bird forages in pairs or singly within the forest understory to mid-story, often perching upright on exposed spots to take prey in mid-air with short flights before returning to the same perch.

Did you know?

It is the only species recognised in the genus Myiotriccus, a classification established by Ridgway in 1905 following the bird's original description in 1853.