Contopus nigrescens
The Blackish Pewee (Contopus nigrescens) is a diminutive and somber-plumaged tyrant flycatcher, notable for its exceptionally dark, sooty-gray to dusky-brown coloration that sets it apart from its typically paler congeners within the genus *Contopus*. Measuring approximately 13-15 cm (5.1-5.9 inches) in length and weighing around 11-16 grams (0.4-0.6 oz), this species exhibits a subtle yet elegant appearance, characterized by faint paler wing-bars and a delicate, often inconspicuous, pale eye...
The Blackish Pewee primarily inhabits the humid to wet evergreen montane forests, cloud forests, and their edges in the Andes. It is typically found at elevations ranging from 1,000 to 2,800 meters (3,300-9,200 feet) above sea level.
The Blackish Pewee is primarily insectivorous, feeding on a wide variety of flying insects. It employs an active aerial hawking strategy, sallying from an open perch to capture prey mid-flight.
The Blackish Pewee is a largely solitary and inconspicuous bird, often observed perched upright on an exposed branch within the forest canopy or subcanopy, patiently scanning for prey. Its foraging strategy is typical of pewees: it is a classic "sally-gleaner" or "sally-striker," launching quick,...
The Blackish Pewee is a resident species found throughout the Andes Mountains of South America, exhibiting a largely continuous but often localized distribution. Its range extends from the mountainous regions of northern Venezuela, through the Andes of Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, south into Boli...
Least Concern
- Unlike most pewees which exhibit duller, grayish-olive plumages, the Blackish Pewee stands out with its remarkably uniform dark, sooty-gray coloration. - It is a classic "sally-gleaner," often waiting patiently on an exposed perch before darting out to snatch insects from the air with remarkabl...