White-crested Spadebill

Overview

The white-crested spadebill, Platyrinchus platyrhynchos, is a passerine bird within the tyrant flycatcher family. It is assessed as a species of Least Concern by the IUCN, with a large range across South America although its population is believed to be decreasing.

Identification

• Measures 10.5 to 12 cm in length with a large head, stubby tail, and the widest bill among Platyrinchus spadebills.
• Features a very wide, flat bill with a black upper mandible and pale lower mandible, paired with pinkish-yellow legs.
• Displays russet-brown upperparts and bright ochraceous underparts, with a white throat and a partially hidden white patch on the crown, larger in males.
• Emits a rapid, rising and falling musical trill, transcribed as "breeEEE-B'RRRrrrewww", and a loud, descending squeak described as "pew!".

Habitat

This species inhabits the understory of humid terra firme forest, particularly on sandy soils, ranging from sea level to 1,100 m in elevation. It is found across Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela.

Diet

The bird feeds on arthropods, foraging typically in pairs or by briefly joining mixed-species flocks. It perches in open areas 2 to 5 m above the ground, capturing prey with short upward sallies from the underside of leaves and twigs.

Did you know?

Males perform a display flight during breeding where their wings produce a distinct whirring sound, a detail that stands out given that little else is known about the species' breeding biology.