Phainoptila melanoxantha
The Black-and-yellow Phainoptila, *Phainoptila melanoxantha*, is a striking, medium-sized passerine, immediately identifiable by its brilliant plumage. Males boast a glossy black head, back, and tail, sharply contrasting with a vibrant yellow belly and rump, often with a white patch on the wings. Females are somewhat duller, with olive-green replacing the black and a more muted yellow on the underparts, though still distinctly bicolored. Measuring approximately 18-21 cm (7.1-8.3 inches) in le...
Found exclusively in humid montane and cloud forests, typically at elevations between 1,200 and 3,000 meters (3,900-9,800 feet), where it prefers the canopy and forest edge.
Primarily frugivorous, consuming a wide variety of small fruits and berries; supplements its diet significantly with insects captured through hawking and gleaning.
Black-and-yellow Phainoptilas are primarily diurnal, active foragers, often seen singly, in pairs, or small family groups, occasionally joining mixed-species flocks. Their foraging strategy involves a mix of hawking for insects (a flycatching technique) and gleaning fruit from branches, demonstra...
The Black-and-yellow Phainoptila is endemic to the humid highlands of Central America, with its distribution restricted to Costa Rica and western Panama. In Costa Rica, it is found along the backbone of the central and Talamanca mountain ranges, extending into the northern cordilleras. Its range ...
Least Concern
- The Black-and-yellow Phainoptila is one of only four species in the Phainoptilidae family, known as the silky-flycatchers, which also includes the Phainopepla, another distinctive North American bird. - Despite its common name 'flycatcher,' it is not closely related to true flycatchers (Tyranni...