Silvicultrix frontalis
The Crowned Chat-Tyrant (Silvicultrix frontalis) is a diminutive yet vibrant member of the tyrant-flycatcher family, Tyrannidae, gracing the high-altitude cloud forests of the Andes. Measuring a mere 11-12 cm (4.3-4.7 inches) in length and weighing between 8-12 grams, this agile passerine is characterized by striking sexual dimorphism. Males boast a brilliant, often concealed, yellow crown patch, contrasting sharply with a blackish face, olive-green upperparts, and vivid yellow underparts, wh...
This species exclusively inhabits humid montane and cloud forests, forest edges, and high-altitude shrublands, typically found between 2,000 to 3,500 meters (6,500-11,500 feet) elevation.
Crowned Chat-Tyrants are primarily insectivorous, feeding on a variety of small insects and other arthropods, which they capture through agile sally-gleaning and sally-striking from perches.
Crowned Chat-Tyrants are highly diurnal, active foragers, often observed singly or in pairs, sometimes joining mixed-species foraging flocks alongside tanagers and ovenbirds. They employ a 'sally-gleaning' or 'sally-striking' foraging technique, launching short, acrobatic flights from exposed per...
The Crowned Chat-Tyrant is endemic to the humid montane forests of the Andes in South America, exhibiting a fragmented distribution across its extensive range. It is found along the Central and Eastern Andes of Colombia, extending southward through both the eastern and western slopes of the Ecuad...
Least Concern
- The male's brilliant yellow crown patch is often kept concealed, only flashed during displays or agitation. - This tiny flycatcher weighs about as much as two U.S. quarters, typically 8-12 grams. - Despite its name, the Crowned Chat-Tyrant is not related to Old World chats; it's a true Neotropi...