Agile Tit-Tyrant

Overview

The agile tit-tyrant, Uromyias agilis, is a species of tyrant flycatcher found in the Andes of Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela. Assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN, it is a year-round resident that inhabits cloudforest and elfin forest near the treeline.

Identification

• Length of 12.5 to 13.5 cm with a flattish black crest and long tail.
• Finely streaked black and white face with a wide white supercilium and dark brown eye stripe.
• Warm brown, heavily streaked upperparts and pale yellow underparts with thin blackish streaks.
• Stubby black bill with yellow at the base of the mandible and dark grey legs.
• Song is an excited-sounding jumble of 'treerrr' trills and 'tseeyk' notes.

Habitat

Found in the Andes of western Venezuela, central and eastern Colombia, and Ecuador, the species inhabits cloudforest and elfin forest near the treeline. It strongly favours areas with pure or mixed stands of Chusquea bamboo, occurring at elevations between 1,800 and 3,500 m depending on the country.

Diet

This bird feeds on insects as an active and acrobatic forager, usually in pairs, small groups, or mixed-species flocks. It primarily gleans food from perches and with short upward jumps or flights.

Did you know?

The first described nest was woven mostly of Chusquea bamboo leaves and moss, placed near the top of a 4.8 m tall bamboo stalk and mostly hidden by the leaves it was tucked into.