Guianan Tyrannulet

Overview

The Guianan tyrannulet (Zimmerius acer) is a small bird in the tyrant flycatcher family, Tyrannidae, classified as a species of Least Concern by the IUCN. It is a year-round resident throughout its range in the Guianas and northern Brazil.

Identification

• Measures 9 to 12 cm in length and weighs 5.7 to 11 g.
• Adults have a gray forehead and crown, a thin whitish supercilium, and a dark eye-stripe on an almost pure white face.
• The back and rump are dull olive, while the wings are dusky with thin yellow edges; the breast is pale olive-yellow and the belly pale yellow.
• Features a small, rounded black bill and dark grayish legs.
• Dawn song consists of fast, cricket-like notes described as 'tueet, tue're'RE!' or a short, hard whistle with two to four notes.

Habitat

Found in eastern and southeastern Venezuela, the Guianas, and northern Brazil, the species inhabits humid tropical forests, occupying both terra firme and várzea landscapes. It typically forages in the canopy or at clearings and edges, occurring mostly below 1,000 m but occasionally above 500 m in Brazil.

Diet

Feeds on insects and small fruits, particularly those of mistletoes. It forages singly or in pairs, sometimes joining mixed-species flocks, and moves actively through the forest canopy to glean food while perched or during short flights.

Did you know?

Although often overlooked due to its canopy-dwelling habits, the Guianan tyrannulet is frequently found in forested areas within towns and cities, and is even common in small urban parks in heavily deforested northeastern Brazil.