Short-tailed Pygmy-tyrant (Myiornis ecaudatus)
[order] PASSERIFORMES | [family] Tyrannidae | [latin] Myiornis ecaudatus | [UK] Short-tailed Pygmy-tyrant | [FR] Moucherolle a queue courte | [DE] Stummelschwanz-Zwergtyrann | [ES] Mosqueta Capirotada | [NL] Kortstaartdwergtiran
Subspecies
| Genus | Species | subspecies | Breeding Range | Breeding Range 2 | Non Breeding Range |
Physical charateristics
The Short-tailed Pygmy-Tyrant is truly a pygmy of a bird, with only a handful of the most lilliputian hummingbirds measuring smaller. The average length is 6.9 cm (2.7″ inches) and the weight averages at 4.2 g. While the bill (though slender) is disportionately large for the size of the bird, the tail is practically non-existent. The head is Grey with blackish lores and stand out white “spectacles”. The back is bright olive-green, and the bar-less wings and tail are both black. The underside is yellow-tinged white, with light olive smudges on the chest and flanks, and the innner flight feathers are edged with yellow. The sexes are similar.
Listen to the sound of Short-tailed Pygmy-tyrant
[audio:http://www.aviflevoland.nl/sounddb/S/Short-tailed Pygmy-tyrant.mp3]
Copyright remark: Most sounds derived from xeno-canto
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Range
South America : Amazonia
Habitat
This bird is a resident of tall humid forests. It is occasionally found in more open woodland, around treefalls and tall trees in clearings. It is fairly common through most of its range, but is easily overlooked – in part due to its insect or frog-like voice.
Reproduction
The nest, a moss and fiber ball with a side entrance, is large for the size of the bird. It may be found from 1-8 meter (3.3-26.5 feet) up in the tree, and never near the canopy. 2 eggs, white overlaid with brownish or cinnamon spots, are laid. The female incuabtes the eggs, but both parents feed the nestlings.
Feeding habits
The Short-tailed Pygmy Tyrant prefers to take prey by hover-gleaning from beneath leaves at mid-level in the forest. The flight movements have a mechanical-feel that enhances the insect comparison. The abrupt movements of these dwarves make them hard to follow even if seen. These birds also occasionally flycatch after remaining very quiet.
Conservation
This species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). The population trend appears to be stable, and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size has not been quantified, but it is not believed to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.
Migration
Sedentary throughout range.
Distribution map
