Ochthoeca fumicolor
The Brown-backed Chat-Tyrant (*Ochthoeca fumicolor*) is a striking, medium-sized passerine of the South American Andes, typically measuring 12.5-13 cm in length and weighing 10-12 grams. Its plumage features a distinctive dark olive-brown back and crown, contrasting sharply with a prominent white supercilium that extends behind the eye. The underparts are a dull rufous-brown or ochraceous, often fading to whitish on the lower belly, while its wings and tail are dusky brown, sometimes with fai...
This species primarily inhabits high-altitude montane cloud forests, humid evergreen forests, forest edges, and bushy slopes in the Andes, typically at elevations between 2,000 and 4,000 meters.
The diet consists predominantly of small to medium-sized insects, including flies, beetles, and wasps, which it captures by sallying flights or gleaning from vegetation.
The Brown-backed Chat-Tyrant is a highly active diurnal species, frequently observed perching conspicuously on exposed branches or shrubs from dawn to dusk. It employs a classic "sally-glean" foraging strategy, darting out from its perch to snatch insects in mid-air or glean them from foliage, of...
The Brown-backed Chat-Tyrant is widely distributed throughout the Andes Mountains of South America, extending from the Venezuelan Andes south through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia, reaching its southern limit in extreme northern Argentina. It is a resident species across this extensive ran...
Least Concern
- The "fumicolor" in its scientific name translates to "smoke-colored," aptly describing its somewhat dusky, earthy plumage. - It is one of several "chat-tyrants" (*Ochthoeca* species) known for their chat-like appearance combined with the flycatching habits of tyrannids. - Its prominent white su...