Poecilotriccus calopterus
The Golden-winged Tody-Flycatcher (Poecilotriccus calopterus) is a captivating neotropical songbird, a true gem of the Andean cloud forests. Measuring a diminutive 10.5-11.5 cm (4.1-4.5 in) and weighing a mere 7.5-9 grams, this tiny tyrant flycatcher presents a vibrant tapestry of colors. Its most striking feature, lending it its name, is the brilliant golden-yellow patch on its wings, sharply contrasting with its blackish flight feathers. Other key field marks include a glossy black crown, a...
Found in subtropical moist montane forests and their edges, including secondary growth and bamboo thickets. It typically inhabits elevations between 600 and 1600 meters along Andean slopes.
Its diet consists almost exclusively of insects and other small arthropods. It primarily forages by gleaning prey from foliage and making short aerial sallies.
This active and restless flycatcher is primarily diurnal, spending its days darting through the understory and mid-story vegetation. Foraging involves a combination of gleaning insects from the undersides of leaves and branches, and short, acrobatic sallies to catch flying insects. It is often ob...
The Golden-winged Tody-Flycatcher is exclusively found along the eastern slopes of the Andes mountains in South America. Its distribution spans from southeastern Ecuador, particularly in provinces such as Morona-Santiago and Zamora-Chinchipe, southward into northern and central Peru. In Peru, its...
Least Concern
- The Golden-winged Tody-Flycatcher's name 'Tody-Flycatcher' refers to its superficial resemblance and active, insectivorous behavior, reminiscent of the Caribbean Todies, though they are not closely related. - Despite its tiny size, barely longer than a human thumb, it boasts one of the most vib...