Hemitriccus rufigularis
The Buff-throated Tody-Tyrant, *Hemitriccus rufigularis*, is a diminutive and sprightly member of the diverse tyrant-flycatcher family (Tyrannidae), typically measuring around 10 cm (4 inches) in length and weighing a mere 7-9 grams. Its most striking field mark, from which it derives its common and scientific names, is its distinctive warm buff-orange throat and upper breast, contrasting with dull olive-green upperparts and a paler, whitish lower belly. Subtle pale buffy wing-bars add to its...
Found primarily in the understory and forest edge of humid montane and subtropical forests, usually at elevations between 500 and 2200 meters above sea level.
Mainly insectivorous, feeding on small insects and spiders, which it gleans from foliage or catches in short aerial sallies.
This active and often inconspicuous bird is typically diurnal, spending its days darting through the forest understory, either singly or in pairs. Its foraging strategy is characterized by quick, acrobatic movements: it sally-gleans, snatching insects from the undersides of leaves, or performs sh...
The Buff-throated Tody-Tyrant is a resident species, endemic to the eastern slopes of the Andes in South America. Its distribution stretches from southern Colombia (specifically in western Caquetá) southwards through the eastern Andean ranges of Ecuador and Peru. The range extends further south i...
Least Concern
- Its scientific name, *rufigularis*, directly translates to 'reddish-throated' from Latin, perfectly describing its most distinctive feature. - Despite its tiny stature (only about 10 cm or 4 inches), it belongs to the Tyrannidae, the largest bird family in the world, encompassing over 400 speci...