Dusky-capped Greenlet

Overview

The dusky-capped greenlet (Pachysylvia hypoxantha) is a species of bird in the family Vireonidae. It is a small, sedentary resident found across parts of northern and southern South America. The species is currently assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN Red List.

Identification

• Adults of the nominate subspecies have a dull olive-brown forehead, crown, and nape, with buffy olive backs and brighter yellowish olive rumps.
• Underparts are pale yellow with a slight buffy wash, while the chin and throat are dull buffy whitish.
• The bill features a dark brown maxilla and a pale brown or pinkish mandible, accompanied by gray legs and feet.
• Song is described as a "very high, cheerful is-it-so-wit or pichí-soweér", with a call resembling a "wheezy dee-dee".

Habitat

Found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela, the bird inhabits humid terra firme and várzea forest, favouring the subcanopy and canopy layers. Elevation ranges vary by location, from near sea level up to 1,100 m in Peru, though it is mostly below 400 m in Ecuador and reaches 800 m in Colombia.

Diet

The diet consists of adult and larval insects, though it has not been fully examined. Foraging is active and often involves hanging upside-down to glean prey from leaves, typically occurring in pairs or within mixed-species feeding flocks.

Did you know?

Nothing is currently known about the breeding biology of this species. It is considered "uncommon" in Colombia and "obscure" in Ecuador, yet "common to frequent" in Brazil.