Myioborus torquatus
The Collared Whitestart (Myioborus torquatus) is a dazzling jewel of Central American cloud forests, instantly recognizable by its vivid plumage. Measuring approximately 12.5 cm (5 inches) in length and weighing around 11 grams (0.4 oz), both sexes display brilliant yellow underparts contrasting sharply with a distinctive black hood and a prominent white collar encircling the nape and sides of the neck. A striking chestnut-rufous patch adorns the crown, often visible amidst the black. Its sle...
Primarily inhabiting moist to wet montane evergreen forests, including cloud forests, and their edges. Found at elevations typically ranging from 1,000 to 3,000 meters (3,300 to 9,800 feet) above sea level.
Feeds almost exclusively on insects and spiders, including caterpillars, beetles, and flies, primarily captured through gleaning from foliage and bark, or aerial hawking.
The Collared Whitestart is a highly active, diurnal insectivore, constantly on the move through the forest understory and mid-story, typically roosting in dense foliage at night. Its foraging strategy is exceptionally dynamic, employing a "flush-pursuit" technique where it often fans its white-ed...
The Collared Whitestart is a resident endemic to the highlands of Costa Rica and western Panama, exhibiting no significant migratory movements. Its core distribution spans the Talamanca mountain range, extending from central Costa Rica southeastward into western Panama, specifically the Chiriquà ...
Least Concern
- The Collared Whitestart is sometimes called "Candelita Collareja" in Spanish, translating to "Little Collared Candle" or "Little Collared Flame," a fitting name for its fiery yellow plumage. - Its distinctive tail-fanning behavior, where it spreads its white outer tail feathers, is thought to b...