Mouse-colored Tyrannulet (Phaeomyias murina)

Identification & Behavior: ~12 cm (4.7 in). The Mouse-colored Tyrannulet is variable as there are several sub-species involved. Overall, it has brownish-gray upperparts and crown with a grayish or pale superciliary. The wing covers are dusky with two brown or rufescent wing bars. The underparts grade from grayish to pale yellow. It forages in semi-open habitats, second growth, and forest edges. It is similar to the Gray and White Tyrannulet, Southern Beardless Tyrannulet, and Yellow-crowned Tyrannulet.

Status: The Mouse-colored Tyrannulet is fairly common across its range in northwestern Peru (tumbezana and inflava), the Marañon Drainage (maranonica), and Amazonia and foothill of the Andes (wagae). It also occurs in Co, Ec, Br, and Bo.

Name in Spanish: Moscareta Murina.

Sub-species: Mouse-colored Tyrannulet (Phaeomyias murina tumbezana), (Taczanowski), 1877.  Pacific lowlands of SW Ecuador and NW Peru (Tumbes, E Piura, NE Lambayeque).
(Phaeomyias murina inflava), Chapman, 1924.  arid NW Peru from C Piura and C Lambayeque S to N Lima.
(Phaeomyias murina maranonica), J. T. Zimmer, 1941.  arid NC Peru in Marañón Valley, W Amazonas, E Cajamarca and E La Libertad.
(Phaeomyias murina wagae), (Taczanowski), 1884.  the Guianas, Amazonian Brazil, E Peru and N Bolivia.

Meaning of Name: Phaeomyias: Gr. phaios= dusky, brown and myias= flycatcher. murina: L. mus, muris= mouse, murinus= mouse-gray.

See more of the Family Tyrannidae