White-headed Marsh-Tyrant (Arundinicola leucocephala)

Identification & Behavior: ~13 cm (5.1 in). The male White-headed Marsh-Tyrant is black with a white head. The female it mostly whitish with black wings and shades of gray on the mantle, nape, and flanks. The bill is mostly black with a yellow mandible tipped with black. It forages in short and medium height grass interspersed with shrubs. It is similar to the Pied Water-Tyrant and the BBlack-backed water tyrant but is distinguished by being all black with a  white head (males), and by being mostly grayish-white (female).

Status: The White-headed Marsh-Tyrant is uncommon in the marshy edges of the Amazon, Napo, lower Marañon, and upper Ucayali Rivers. It also occurs in Co, Ec, Br, and Bo.

Name in Spanish: Tirano-de-Ciénaga de Cabeza Blanca.

Sub-species: White-headed Marsh-Tyrant (Arundinicola leucocephala), (Linnaeus), 1764.

Meaning of Name: Arundinicola: L. arundo, arundinis= reed and cola, colere= dweller, to inhabit. leucocephala: Gr. leukos= white and kephalos= headed.

See more of the Family Tyrannidae