Philohydor lictor
The Lesser Kiskadee, *Philohydor lictor*, is a striking tyrant flycatcher, notable for its bright yellow underparts contrasting with an olive-brown back. Measuring 16-18 cm (6.3-7.1 in) in length and weighing 20-30g, it possesses a distinctive black head marked by a prominent white supercilium and a black eye-mask, complemented by dark wings and tail and a relatively slender black bill. Its most distinguishing field mark, aside from its vivid coloration, is its smaller size and more delicate ...
Primarily found in riparian zones, forest edges, savannas, and open woodlands, invariably near water bodies like rivers, streams, lakes, and marshes, typically at elevations from sea level up to 1500 meters.
Mainly insectivorous, consuming a variety of flying and terrestrial insects, supplemented with small fruits, berries, and occasionally small vertebrates like tadpoles or tiny fish, primarily acquired through sallying and gleaning.
Lesser Kiskadees are diurnal birds, actively foraging from dawn to dusk and roosting discreetly in dense foliage overnight. Their foraging strategy is typical of flycatchers: they perch conspicuously, scan their surroundings, then sally out to hawk insects in mid-air (aerial hawking) or glean the...
The Lesser Kiskadee boasts a widespread distribution across tropical South America, primarily east of the Andes. Its range extends from eastern Panama and northern Colombia and Venezuela, encompassing the Guianas (Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana), and through the vast Amazon basin of Brazil, east...
Least Concern
- Despite its common name, the Lesser Kiskadee belongs to a different genus (*Philohydor*) than the Great Kiskadee (*Pitangus*). - Its genus *Philohydor* is monotypic, meaning it contains only this one species. - The species name 'lictor' is Latin, referring to a Roman official's attendant who ca...