Scale-crested Pygmy-Tyrant (Lophotriccus pileatus)

Identification & Behavior: ~10 cm (4 in). The Scale-crested Pygmy-Tyrant has yellow-olive upperparts. It has a prominent crest of black feathers edged at the tip with rufous giving the impression of scales. The wing coverts and flight feathers are edged with yellow. The underparts are yellowish streaked with gray. The bill is black. It forages in the understory of humid montane forests. It is similar to the closely related Long-crested Pygmy Tyrant but is distinguished by having the crown feathers edged with rufous and by ranging at higher elevations on the east slope of the Andes.

Status: The Scale-crested Pygmy-Tyrant is common in montane forests of the east slope of the Andes at elevations ranging between 700-2100 m. It also occurs in the humid and semi-deciduous forest of Northwest Peru, in Tumbes. The Scale-crested Pygmy-Tyrant also occurs in Co, Ec, and Bo.

Name in Spanish: Tirano-Pigmeo de Cresta Escamosa.

Sub-species: Scale-crested Pygmy-Tyrant (Lophotriccus pileatus squamaecrista), (Lafresnaye), 1846.  Andes of Colombia and W Ecuador.
(Lophotriccus pileatus pileatus), (Tschudi), 1844.  Andes of E Ecuador and E Peru (S to Cuzco).
(Lophotriccus pileatus hypochlorus), Berlepsch and Stolzmann, 1906.  SE Peru from Cuzco (Urubamba Valley) S to Puno (R Madre de Dios).

Meaning of Name: Lophotriccus: Gr. lophos= crest and trikkos= unidentified small bird. pileatus: L. pileus= felt-cap. Pileatus= capped.

See more of the Family Tyrannidae