Slaty-capped Shrike-Vireo (Vireolanius leucotis)

Identification & Behavior:~14 cm (5.5 in). The Slaty-capped Shrike-Vireo has olive upperparts, yellow and olive underparts, and blue iris. The head is grayish blue with a bright yellow eye brown from the base of the upper mandible and a yellow spot below the eye giving the impression of a patterned head. It forages in the canopy of the forest in Amazonia where it vocalizes throughout the day. It superficially resembles a Rufous-browed Peppershrike but is distinguished by a yellow eyebrow and pale blue iris.

Status: The Slaty-capped Shrike-Vireo is uncommon and widespread in Amazonia where it is known to range up to 1400 m along the foothill of the Andes. It also occurs in Co, Ec, Br, and Bo.

Name in Spanish: Vireón de Gorro Apizarrado.

Sub-species: Slaty-capped Shrike-Vireo (Vireolanius leucotis leucotis), (Swainson), 1838. N Brazil (N of Amazon); extreme S Colombia (SE Nariño), E Ecuador and N Peru (S to San Martín).
(Vireolanius leucotis simplex), Berlepsch, 1912.  E Peru (Huánuco S to Ayacucho and Cuzco) and NC Brazil S of Amazon (R Purús E to R Tocantins, S to NW Mato Grosso).
(Vireolanius leucotis bolivianus), Berlepsch, 1901.  SE Peru (Cuzco) S to NC Bolivia (La Paz, Cochabamba and Santa Cruz).

Meaning of Name: Vireolanius: A bird that looks like a crossover between the Genus Genus Vireo, Vieillot, 1808, and the Genus Lanius, Linnaeus (shrike), 1758. leucotis: Gr. leukos= white and otis, ous, oto= ear, eared.

See more of the Family Vireonidae