Knipolegus signatus
Jelski's Black Tyrant (*Knipolegus signatus*) is a striking, medium-sized flycatcher of the Andean highlands, typically measuring 14-15 cm in length and weighing 12-16 grams. Males are distinctively glossy black overall with a bright white speculum (a patch on the primary coverts) that is often conspicuous in flight or when wings are partially spread, contrasting sharply with their dark plumage. Females present a significant sexual dimorphism, appearing much duller, generally olive-brown to g...
Found in montane scrub, open woodlands, forest edges, and rocky slopes with scattered bushes, primarily at high altitudes between 2,000 and 4,000 meters in the Andes.
Feeds primarily on a variety of insects, such as flies, beetles, and wasps, which it catches in mid-air or gleans from vegetation.
Jelski's Black Tyrant is a diurnal, active flycatcher, typically seen singly or in pairs perched conspicuously on exposed branches or shrubs, often twitching its tail. It employs a classic "sally-and-return" foraging strategy, darting out from its perch to snatch insects in mid-air or glean them ...
Jelski's Black Tyrant is primarily a resident species of the central and southern Andes of South America. Its breeding range extends from southern Peru (departments of Cuzco and Puno) southward through Bolivia, and into northwestern Argentina (provinces of Jujuy, Salta, Tucumán, and Catamarca). I...
Least Concern
- The "Jelski" in its name honors Konstanty Jelski, a Polish zoologist and collector, whose native name was Jelski. - It is one of several "black tyrants" in the *Knipolegus* genus, a group known for their predominantly dark plumage and flycatching habits. - Its bright red iris is a critical iden...