River Tyrannulet (Serpophaga hypoleuca)

Identification & Behavior: ~11 cm (4.3 in). The River Tyrannulet is gray above and whitish below. It has a blackish cap and tail. The wing coverts show no wing bar. It sallies for flying insects at the edges of river islands with early successional vegetation, and other open areas near water. It superficially resembles the Little Ground-Tyrant but is distinguished by a smaller size and by having darker upperparts.

Status: The River Tyrannulet is generally rare along large Amazonian rivers. It is also known to occur along portions of the Madre de Dio River in southeast Peru.  The River Tyrannulet also occurs in Co, Ec, Br, and Bo.

Name in Spanish: Moscareta de los Ríos.

Sub-species: River Tyrannulet (Serpophaga hypoleuca hypoleuca), P. L. Sclater and Salvin, 1866.

Meaning of Name: Serpophaga: Gr. serphos= gnat and phagos= eating. hypoleuca: Gr. hupo= beneath and leukos= white.

See more of the Family Tyrannidae