Basileuterus lachrymosus
The Fan-tailed Warbler (Basileuterus lachrymosus) is a vibrant and distinctive New World warbler, typically measuring 12-13 cm (4.7-5.1 inches) in length and weighing 9.5-12.5 grams. Its striking appearance features olive-green upperparts and bright yellow underparts, often with an olive wash on the flanks. A crucial field mark is its complex head pattern: a broad, bright yellow supercilium contrasts sharply with a black eye-stripe and a prominent rufous-orange crown patch, which is bordered ...
This species primarily inhabits subtropical or tropical moist montane forests, humid evergreen forests, and pine-oak woodlands, often preferring the understory or mid-story. It is typically found at elevations ranging from 600 to 2,500 meters (2,000-8,200 feet).
Its diet consists almost exclusively of insects and other small arthropods, including beetles, caterpillars, and spiders, which it primarily obtains by gleaning from foliage.
The Fan-tailed Warbler is a diurnal and highly active species, constantly moving as it forages. It primarily employs a gleaning strategy, meticulously searching and picking insects from foliage in the lower to middle strata of the forest. During the non-breeding season, it frequently joins mixed-...
The Fan-tailed Warbler is primarily a resident species with a breeding and year-round range extending from western and central Mexico, specifically from Sonora and Chihuahua south through Oaxaca and Veracruz. Its distribution continues southward through the highlands of Guatemala, El Salvador, an...
Least Concern
- The scientific name 'lachrymosus' means 'tearful,' which is somewhat paradoxical as the species doesn't have prominent tear-like markings, perhaps referring instead to the streaked crown pattern. - It is a prominent member of mixed-species foraging flocks, especially outside the breeding season...