Ruddy-tailed Flycatcher

Overview

The ruddy-tailed flycatcher (Terenotriccus erythrurus) is a small passerine bird in the family Onychorhynchidae. It is the only member of the genus Terenotriccus, though some authorities classify it within the genus Myiobius.

Identification

• Measures 9.0–10.3 cm in length and weighs approximately 7 g.
• Features grey-olive upperparts with a distinct rufous rump, tail, wings, and eye ring.
• Displays a buff throat and cinnamon breast that fades to pale buff on the belly.
• Emits a "see-oo see" call and a repetitive "eek eek eek" song, sometimes accompanied by a faint whirring sound from flicking its wings.

Habitat

This species inhabits lowlands ranging from southeastern Mexico to northern Bolivia, north-central Brazil, and the Guianas. It is found east of the Andes in the Amazon Basin and west of the Andes in Colombia, Ecuador, and Central America, breeding in wet mountain forests and tall second growth up to 1,000 m altitude.

Diet

Primarily solitary, this flycatcher feeds on insects, particularly leafhoppers, which are picked from foliage or captured in acrobatic aerial pursuit.

Did you know?

The male plays no part in incubating the eggs or caring for the young, leaving the female to manage the breeding process alone.