Black-tailed myiobius

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Black-tailed myiobius
At São Luiz do Paraitinga, Brazil
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Tityridae
Genus: Myiobius
Species:
M. atricaudus
Binomial name
Myiobius atricaudus
Lawrence, 1863

The black-tailed myiobius or black-tailed flycatcher (Myiobius atricaudus) is a species of passerine bird in the family Tityridae. It was previously placed in the family Tyrannidae.[2] Black-tailed flycatchers are found in Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela.[3] Their natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and heavily degraded former forest. They are usually found alone or in pairs, but may join flocks of several species.[3]

Subspecies[edit]

Seven subspecies are recognised; M. a. atricaudus from south-western Costa Rica, Panama and western Colombia; M. a. portovelae from western Ecuador and north-western Peru; M. a. modestus from eastern Venezuela; M. a. adjacens from southern Colombia, eastern Ecuador, eastern Peru and western Brazil; M. a. connectens from north-eastern Brazil south of the River Amazon; M. a. snethlagei from north-eastern and eastern Brazil; M. a. ridgwayi from southeastern Brazil.[2]

Description[edit]

The black-tailed myiobius closely resembles the whiskered myiobius (M. barbatus) and the sulphur-rumped myiobius (M. sulphureipygius) in appearance, with olive upper parts and a yellow rump. The underparts differ in being buff rather than tawny or greyish-olive, but birds living in eastern Brazil tend to have yellowish or yellowish-buff underparts. Another distinguishing feature is the location in which the bird is seen. The black-tailed myobius haunts woodland edges and secondary forests and is less active or acrobatic than the other two species; it is found at altitudes up to 1,400 m (4,600 ft).[4]

Distribution and habitat[edit]

The species has a patchy distribution in tropical Central and South America. It is present in Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru (on both sides of the Andes) and large parts of Brazil.[1] Where their ranges overlap, it is generally found in drier habitats than the whiskered myiobius (M. barbatus), and at higher elevations.[5] It generally frequents forest verges and secondary growth, often near water, whereas the whiskered myiobius prefers the interior of forests.[4]

Status[edit]

Destruction of the Amazon rainforest is reducing the area of suitable habitat for this bird and its numbers are thought to be in decline. It is an uncommon species with a patchy distribution, nevertheless, it has a very wide range and the total population size is likely to be large; as a result, the International Union for Conservation of Nature has classified it as being of "least concern.[1]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c BirdLife International (2016). "Myiobius atricaudus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22699726A93745080. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22699726A93745080.en. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  2. ^ a b Gill, Frank; Donsker, David, eds. (2017). "Cotingas, manakins, tityras & becards". World Bird List Version 7.3. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  3. ^ a b Kirwan, Guy. "Black-tailed Flycatcher". Neotropical Birds Online. Retrieved 1 August 2017.
  4. ^ a b Ridgely, Robert S.; Tudor, Guy (2009). Field Guide to the Songbirds of South America: The Passerines. University of Texas Press. pp. 247–248. ISBN 978-0-292-71748-0.
  5. ^ "Myiobius barbatus". Neotropical Birds. Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Retrieved 21 June 2016.

Further reading[edit]