Slaty-headed Tody-Flycatcher

Overview

The slaty-headed tody-flycatcher (Poecilotriccus sylvia) is a small bird belonging to the tyrant flycatcher family, Tyrannidae. It is a year-round resident found across parts of Central and South America, classified as Least Concern by the IUCN.

Identification

• Adults of the nominate subspecies possess a gray crown and nape with an olive back and rump.
• Wings are blackish with two distinct yellow wing bars formed by feather tips.
• Underparts are grayish white, featuring grayish streaks on the lower throat and breast with an olive tinge on the flanks.
• The bird is approximately 9 to 10 cm long, has a black bill, and light bluish gray legs.

Habitat

This species inhabits dense scrubby vegetation in tropical and lower subtropical zones, including forest edges, secondary forest, and overgrown pastures. It has a highly disjunct range spanning Belize, parts of Central America, and northern South America, typically from sea level to 1,100 m, though reaching 1,350 m in Colombia.

Diet

The slaty-headed tody-flycatcher feeds primarily on arthropods and occasionally consumes fruit. It usually forages in pairs near the ground within dense vegetation, taking prey from foliage with short sallies from a perch, though it may occasionally hunt in the canopy.

Did you know?

The bird's vocalisations are described as 'insect- or froglike', consisting of sounds such as a soft, gravelly 'trup' or a nasal 'grrrrrrr'.