Lesser Antillean Pewee

Contopus latirostris

The Lesser Antillean Pewee, Contopus latirostris, is a small, unobtrusive tyrant flycatcher endemic to the Lesser Antilles, embodying the subtle charm of island avifauna. Measuring approximately 13-15 cm (5.1-5.9 inches) in length, with a wingspan of about 23-25 cm (9-10 inches) and weighing 10-14 grams, its plumage is generally drab, featuring an olive-gray to brownish back, pale whitish throat, and a yellowish wash on its belly, often with faint olive streaking on the breast. Distinctive fi...

Habitat

This species primarily inhabits various forest types, including humid montane forests, dry woodlands, secondary growth, and shaded plantations, from sea level up to the highest elevations of the islands.

Diet

Primarily insectivorous, this pewee feeds on a wide range of flying insects such as flies, beetles, wasps, and small moths, captured through aerial hawking from a perch.

Behavior

The Lesser Antillean Pewee is a classic diurnal flycatcher, actively foraging from exposed perches throughout the day and typically roosting in dense foliage at night. Its primary foraging strategy involves 'sallying,' where it darts out from a perch to catch flying insects mid-air, often returni...

Range

The Lesser Antillean Pewee is widely distributed throughout the Lesser Antilles, from the Virgin Islands south to Grenada. Its core breeding and year-round range encompasses islands such as St. John, St. Thomas, St. Croix, Saba, St. Kitts, Nevis, Montserrat, Antigua, Guadeloupe, Dominica, Martini...

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Fun Facts

- The Lesser Antillean Pewee is an island endemic, found only within the Lesser Antilles archipelago. - Three subspecies are generally recognized, each subtly differentiated by size or plumage tone and specific to certain island groups. - Its common name, 'Pewee,' is onomatopoeic, derived directl...

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