Ochthoeca nigrita
The Blackish Chat-Tyrant (*Ochthoeca nigrita*) is a captivating, small passerine bird in the Tyrannidae family, commonly known as tyrant flycatchers. Measuring approximately 12.5-13.5 cm (4.9-5.3 in) in length and weighing around 12-14 grams (0.42-0.49 oz), this species is characterized by its dusky blackish plumage, which can appear almost sooty brown in certain lights, contrasting sharply with a prominent, bright white supercilium (eyebrow stripe) that extends from the bill to behind the ey...
Found in humid montane forests, cloud forests, and their edges, often near clearings, ravines, or fast-flowing streams and rivers in the Andes. Primarily inhabits elevations between 1,800 to 3,000 meters (5,900-9,800 feet) above sea level.
Primarily insectivorous, feeding on small flying insects caught in aerial sallies, as well as arthropods gleaned from vegetation.
Blackish Chat-Tyrants are highly active diurnal birds, typically observed singly or in pairs, rarely joining mixed-species flocks. They employ a classic flycatcher foraging strategy, sallying out from exposed perches such as low branches or prominent rocks to snatch insects in mid-air or glean th...
The Blackish Chat-Tyrant is endemic to the Andes of South America, with its distribution spanning across several countries. Its primary breeding and resident range extends from the Andes of western Venezuela (in the states of Mérida and Táchira) and through the three cordilleras of Colombia (West...
Least Concern
- The Blackish Chat-Tyrant's scientific name, *nigrita*, directly translates from Latin to 'blackish' or 'dark-colored', accurately reflecting its plumage. - Its bright white supercilium is often described as resembling a 'white eyebrow', making it one of the most reliable field marks for identif...