Mottle-cheeked Tyrannulet (Phylloscartes ventralis)

Identification & Behavior: ~12 cm (4.7 in). The Mottle-cheeked Tyrannulet has a greenish-olive mantle. The crown is grayish. It has a pale superciliary and eye-ring, and dusky lores bordered above by a pale superciliary. The lower mandible is pale. The wing coverts are black with two yellowish wing bars. The breast is olive-gray grading to more yellowish towards the rest of the underparts. It forages in the upper understory and sub-canopy of humid montane forest. It is similar to the Spectacled Bristle-Tyrant but is distinguished by more horizontal posture with the tail semi-cocked and wings below the tail, pale superciliary, and by dusky lores. Also, see Ecuadorian Tyrannulet.

Status: The Mottle-cheeked Tyrannulet is fairly common in montane forests of the east slope of the Andes at elevations ranging between 1000-2400 m. It also occurs in Co, Ec, Br, and Bo.

Name in Spanish: Moscareta de Mejilla Moteada.

Sub-species: Mottle-cheeked Tyrannulet (Phylloscartes ventralis angustirostris), (d’Orbigny and Lafresnaye) 1837.

Meaning of Name: Phylloscartes: Gr. phullon = leaf and skairo= to skip, to dance. ventralis: L. venter, ventris= belly, ventralis =of the belly, ventral.

See more of the Family Tyrannidae