Schiffornis turdina
The Brown-winged Schiffornis (*Schiffornis turdina*) is a rather inconspicuous, medium-sized passerine bird, often more readily identified by its melancholic song than by sight. Measuring approximately 16-17 cm (6.3-6.7 inches) in length and weighing around 25-30 grams (0.9-1.1 ounces), it possesses a generally dull olive-brown plumage above, transitioning to paler, sometimes grayish or buffy, underparts. Its most distinctive field mark, though subtle, is a rufous or rusty wash on its wings, ...
Found in the dense understory of humid tropical and subtropical evergreen forests, primarily in lowland and montane foothills, ranging from sea level up to approximately 1,800 meters.
Primarily insectivorous, feeding on a variety of arthropods, supplemented by small forest fruits and berries. It forages by gleaning from foliage and making short, agile sallies to catch flying insects.
This species is remarkably secretive and solitary, often observed singly or in pairs, typically active during crepuscular hours at dawn and dusk, though it forages throughout the day. It spends most of its time gleaning insects and plucking fruits from the lower to mid-canopy strata of dense vege...
The Brown-winged Schiffornis boasts an expansive, yet fragmented, distribution across Central and South America. Its northernmost range includes southern Mexico (Oaxaca, Chiapas) and extends through Central America, encompassing Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama. In S...
Least Concern
- The Brown-winged Schiffornis's taxonomic classification has been a source of considerable scientific debate for decades, having been moved between the Cotingidae, Tyrannidae, and now often placed in its own family, Schiffornithidae, or sometimes Tityridae. - Its haunting, whistled song is so di...