Myiarchus oberi
The Lesser Antillean Flycatcher (Myiarchus oberi) is a medium-sized passerine, typically measuring 19-21 cm in length with a weight ranging from 25-30 grams. Its plumage is characterized by dull olive-brown upperparts, a dusky grayish head that often appears slightly crested, and a pale gray throat and breast that transitions to a distinctive lemon-yellow on the belly and undertail coverts. Key field marks include prominent rufous edgings on the flight feathers (primaries and secondaries) and...
This flycatcher primarily inhabits dense, humid montane and semi-deciduous forests, favoring areas with mature trees and often found near ravines or forest edges. It can be encountered from lower elevations up to the highest points of its island strongholds.
Its diet consists predominantly of insects, including beetles, wasps, ants, and caterpillars, which it catches in flight or gleans from vegetation. Small fruits and berries are also occasionally consumed, particularly outside the breeding season.
The Lesser Antillean Flycatcher is a diurnal and often secretive bird, typically observed alone or in pairs. It maintains an upright posture while perched, characteristic of its family, and employs a 'sally-and-return' foraging strategy, launching short flights from a perch to snatch insects from...
The Lesser Antillean Flycatcher is an endemic resident of the Lesser Antilles, with its distribution spanning several islands in the northern and central parts of the archipelago. It is found year-round on Dominica, Guadeloupe, Montserrat, St. Kitts, Nevis, and St. Lucia. While it primarily occup...
Least Concern
- The Lesser Antillean Flycatcher is one of the few Myiarchus species entirely endemic to the Caribbean archipelago. - Unlike many temperate flycatchers, it is a year-round resident within its restricted island range, exhibiting no migratory movements. - Its cavity-nesting habit means it relies h...