Poecilotriccus senex
The Buff-cheeked Tody-Flycatcher (Poecilotriccus senex) is a diminutive and often elusive member of the Tyrannidae family, measuring approximately 9-10 cm in length and weighing a mere 6-8 grams. Its upperparts are a dull olive-green, contrasting with pale yellow underparts, a dusky grey crown, and a distinctive, diagnostic buffy-ochre patch adorning its cheeks, giving the species its common name. A subtle white throat, dark bill, and sometimes a broken pale eye-ring complete its appearance, ...
Found primarily in the humid montane and lowland forests, forest edges, and clearings with dense undergrowth, typically at elevations ranging from 500 to 1800 meters, occasionally lower.
Mainly insectivorous, feeding on small insects and other arthropods gleaned from foliage or captured in short aerial sallies.
This small flycatcher is primarily diurnal, actively foraging during the day, often solitarily or occasionally joining mixed-species feeding flocks with other small passerines. It employs a classic sally-glean foraging technique, perching quietly within dense foliage, scanning for insects, then d...
The Buff-cheeked Tody-Flycatcher is a resident species found exclusively in southeastern South America, primarily within the Atlantic Forest biome. Its breeding and year-round range encompasses southeastern Brazil, specifically the states of Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo...
Least Concern
- The Buff-cheeked Tody-Flycatcher measures barely 10 cm, making it one of the smallest Tyrant Flycatchers. - Its scientific name, Poecilotriccus senex, roughly translates to "varied old flycatcher," perhaps referencing its subtle, muted plumage. - The buffy cheek patches are the most reliable fi...