Sulphury Flycatcher
Encyclopedia
The Sulphury Flycatcher (Tyrannopsis sulphurea) is a passerine
bird
which is a localised resident breeder from Trinidad
, the Guianas and Venezuela
south to Amazonian
Peru
, northern Bolivia
and Brazil
.
This large tyrant flycatcher
is found in savannah habitat with Moriche Palm
s. The nest is an open cup of sticks in the crown of a Moriche Palm, and the typical clutch is two cream-coloured eggs blotched with brown.
The adult Sulphury Flycatcher is 20.3 cm long and weighs 54g. The head and neck are dark grey, and there is a concealed yellow crown stripe
. The upperparts are olive, and the wings and tail are brown. The underparts are yellow with a greenish tint to the upper breast and a white throat. The black bill is short and broad.
This species resembles the Tropical Kingbird
, but is shorter, stockier, and has a shorter bill. The call is a loud squealing jweeez, quite different from the Kingbird’s twittering.
Sulphury Flycatchers wait on an exposed perch high in a palm and sally out to catch insect
s in flight. They will also take some berries
.
The species is in its own genus-(monotypic
), because of its bird voicebox anatomy, the syrinx
.
Passerine
A passerine is a bird of the order Passeriformes, which includes more than half of all bird species. Sometimes known as perching birds or, less accurately, as songbirds, the passerines form one of the most diverse terrestrial vertebrate orders: with over 5,000 identified species, it has roughly...
bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
which is a localised resident breeder from Trinidad
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
, the Guianas and Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
south to Amazonian
Amazon Basin
The Amazon Basin is the part of South America drained by the Amazon River and its tributaries that drains an area of about , or roughly 40 percent of South America. The basin is located in the countries of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, and Venezuela...
Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
, northern Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
and Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
.
This large tyrant flycatcher
Tyrant flycatcher
The tyrant flycatchers are a family of passerine birds which occur throughout North and South America. They are considered the largest family of birds on Earth, with more than 400 species. They are the most diverse avian family in every country in the Americas, except for the United States and...
is found in savannah habitat with Moriche Palm
Moriche Palm
The Moriche Palm, Mauritia flexuosa, also known as the Ité Palm, Ita, Buriti, or aguaje , is a palm tree. It grows in and near swamps and other wet areas in tropical South America....
s. The nest is an open cup of sticks in the crown of a Moriche Palm, and the typical clutch is two cream-coloured eggs blotched with brown.
The adult Sulphury Flycatcher is 20.3 cm long and weighs 54g. The head and neck are dark grey, and there is a concealed yellow crown stripe
Crown (anatomy)
A crown is the top of the head.The following birds and other animals are said to have a crown on their head:* Cranes** Grey-crowned Crane** Red-crowned Crane** Black-crowned Crane* Crowned eagle* Gray-crowned Rosy Finch* Yellow-crowned Gonolek...
. The upperparts are olive, and the wings and tail are brown. The underparts are yellow with a greenish tint to the upper breast and a white throat. The black bill is short and broad.
This species resembles the Tropical Kingbird
Tropical Kingbird
The Tropical Kingbird is a large tyrant flycatcher. This bird breeds from southern Arizona and the lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas in the USA through Central America, South America as far as south as central Argentina and western Peru, and on Trinidad and Tobago...
, but is shorter, stockier, and has a shorter bill. The call is a loud squealing jweeez, quite different from the Kingbird’s twittering.
Sulphury Flycatchers wait on an exposed perch high in a palm and sally out to catch insect
Insect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
s in flight. They will also take some berries
Berry
The botanical definition of a berry is a fleshy fruit produced from a single ovary. Grapes are an example. The berry is the most common type of fleshy fruit in which the entire ovary wall ripens into an edible pericarp. They may have one or more carpels with a thin covering and fleshy interiors....
.
The species is in its own genus-(monotypic
Monotypic
In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group with only one biological type. The term's usage differs slightly between botany and zoology. The term monotypic has a separate use in conservation biology, monotypic habitat, regarding species habitat conversion eliminating biodiversity and...
), because of its bird voicebox anatomy, the syrinx
Syrinx (biology)
Syrinx is the name for the vocal organ of birds. Located at the base of a bird's trachea, it produces sounds without the vocal cords of mammals. The sound is produced by vibrations of some or all of the membrana tympaniformis and the pessulus caused by air flowing through the syrinx...
.
External links
- Sulphury Flycatcher photo gallery VIREO
- Photo-Medium Res; Article oiseaux
