Ptiliogonys cinereus
The Grey Silky-flycatcher (Ptiliogonys cinereus) is a captivating songbird renowned for its remarkably soft, silky plumage, which gives its family, Ptilogonatidae, its common name. Measuring about 18-21 cm (7-8.3 inches) in length and weighing 27-37 grams, this elegant species is predominantly ash-grey, with a distinctive dark, often prominent crest and striking yellow undertail coverts. In flight, a small white patch at the base of the primaries becomes visible, aiding identification. Its ey...
Found primarily in montane pine-oak, pine-evergreen, and humid evergreen forests, typically at elevations ranging from 1,200 to 3,500 meters (4,000 to 11,500 feet).
Feeds primarily on fruits, particularly mistletoe berries, complemented by a substantial intake of insects caught through aerial hawking or gleaning from vegetation.
Grey Silky-flycatchers are active, diurnal birds, often observed perching conspicuously atop trees before sallying out to catch insects in mid-air with acrobatic precision. They also glean insects from foliage and are highly frugivorous, especially favoring mistletoe berries. Outside the breeding...
The Grey Silky-flycatcher boasts a broad distribution across the highlands of Central America and Mexico. Its breeding and year-round range extends from the mountainous regions of northern Sonora and Tamaulipas in Mexico, south through the Sierra Madre Oriental and Occidental, Trans-Mexican Volca...
Least Concern
- The 'silky' in their name refers to their exceptionally soft and fine plumage, a distinguishing characteristic of the Ptilogonatidae family. - They are one of only four species in the family Ptilogonatidae, a small group endemic to North and Central America. - Despite their name, Silky-flycatch...