Stigmatura bahiae
The Bahia Wagtail-Tyrant (*Stigmatura bahiae*) is a charmingly active, small passerine bird, renowned for its distinctive and almost constant tail-wagging behavior, which gives it its common name. Measuring approximately 13-14 cm in length, including a proportionally long tail, it features olive-grayish upperparts, a contrasting whitish throat and breast, and a subtle yellowish wash on its flanks and undertail coverts. Key identification marks include a prominent white supercilium (eyebrow st...
This species primarily inhabits arid to semi-arid scrublands, known as Caatinga, and coastal restinga, often frequenting the edges of gallery forests at low elevations.
Its diet consists almost exclusively of small insects and other invertebrates, which it primarily catches by gleaning from vegetation or performing short sallying flights.
The Bahia Wagtail-Tyrant is a diurnal and highly active insectivore, typically observed singly or in pairs as they flit energetically through the lower to mid-story vegetation. Its most characteristic behavior is the near-constant side-to-side wagging of its long tail, a trait shared with its con...
The Bahia Wagtail-Tyrant is an endemic resident of eastern Brazil, with its primary distribution centered in the state of Bahia, extending marginally into northern Minas Gerais and Sergipe. This restricted range is largely confined to the unique semi-arid Caatinga biome and associated coastal res...
Least Concern
- The Bahia Wagtail-Tyrant is named for its endemic range, primarily within Brazil's Bahia state. - Its most striking characteristic is the incessant side-to-side wagging of its long tail, a behavior shared by all members of the *Stigmatura* genus. - Despite its 'wagtail' moniker, it is not relat...