Russet-winged Schiffornis

Overview

The russet-winged schiffornis, or russet-winged mourner, is a species of Neotropical bird in the family Tityridae. It has two subspecies and is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN Red List.

Identification

• Measures 15.5 to 16.5 cm in length and weighs approximately 30 to 34 g.
• Exhibits rufous-brown upperparts, wings, and tail, with wings featuring more rufous feather edges.
• Throat and breast are brown with a yellowish tinge, while the belly and vent are grayish olive.
• Song consists of a sequence of two to four clear, rich musical whistles, with the second and third notes sharply upslurred.

Habitat

Found in Colombia, Panama, and Venezuela, the species primarily inhabits the interior of humid forests, occasionally occurring at forest edges. It reaches elevations of up to 1,500 m in Colombia and 1,800 m in Venezuela.

Diet

Feeds on fruits and insects, typically foraging singly in the forest understory. It often clings to low-level vertical stems and takes food from vegetation using short sallies from a perch.

Did you know?

The genus was originally placed in the manakin family, though it has since been confirmed to belong to Tityridae. Its single known nest was a cup made of dry leaves placed in a palm, containing two light cream eggs with dark purple spots.