Knipolegus poecilocercus
The Amazonian Black Tyrant (*Knipolegus poecilocercus*) is a captivating resident of the Amazon basin, distinguished by its remarkable sexual dimorphism. Males are entirely glossy black, often revealing a subtle purplish or bluish sheen, and are instantly recognizable by their brilliant ruby-red irises that stand out in the shaded understory. They typically measure 13-14 cm (5-5.5 inches) in length and weigh between 12-18 grams, occasionally displaying a concealed white patch on the primaries...
This species primarily inhabits humid, lowland environments, favoring the edges of várzea and gallery forests, secondary growth along rivers, and woodland clearings, typically below 500 meters elevation.
The Amazonian Black Tyrant is primarily insectivorous, capturing various flying insects through aerial hawking from an exposed perch or occasionally gleaning them from foliage.
The Amazonian Black Tyrant is a diurnal species, generally observed alone or in pairs, perched conspicuously on a bare branch or twig, often overlooking water or forest edges. Its primary foraging strategy is aerial hawking; it makes swift, short sallies from its exposed perch to snatch flying in...
The Amazonian Black Tyrant is a resident species distributed widely across the Amazon Basin of South America. Its breeding range encompasses southeastern Colombia, eastern Ecuador, eastern Peru, northern Bolivia, and extends across western and central Amazonian Brazil, reaching into parts of sout...
Least Concern
- The Amazonian Black Tyrant exhibits extreme sexual dimorphism, with males being entirely glossy black and females a contrasting olive-brown and rufous. - Its scientific name, *poecilocercus*, means 'varied tail,' referring to the subtle, sometimes concealed, rufous or whitish markings on the ou...