Ptiliogonys caudatus
The Long-tailed Silky-flycatcher (Ptiliogonys caudatus) is an exquisitely elegant passerine endemic to the cloud forests of Central America. Males are distinguished by their lustrous slate-grey plumage, a striking erectile crest, a vivid yellow vent, and a remarkably long, graduated black tail often exceeding the body length, tipped with white outer rectrices. Females exhibit a similar but duller grey coloration, a shorter tail, and a less prominent crest; both sexes share bright red eyes and...
Primarily found in humid montane evergreen forests, cloud forests, and forest edges, often near clearings or coffee plantations. They inhabit elevations typically ranging from 1,800 to 3,000 meters, descending to lower altitudes seasonally.
Primarily insectivorous and frugivorous, consuming a wide variety of flying insects caught in aerial sallies and small fruits and berries gleaned from trees and shrubs.
A highly active, diurnal bird, the Long-tailed Silky-flycatcher is often observed perching conspicuously on exposed branches, especially when in foraging flocks. It employs a 'sally-and-return' flycatching technique, darting out from a perch to snatch flying insects before returning, and also gle...
The Long-tailed Silky-flycatcher is endemic to the highlands of Central America, primarily found from southern Mexico (Chiapas) through Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and western Panama. Its breeding range is typically restricted to humid montane forests at elevations of...
Least Concern
- The Long-tailed Silky-flycatcher is not actually a 'flycatcher' in the traditional sense (Muscicapidae or Tyrannidae families) but belongs to its own unique family, Ptiliogonatidae. - Its scientific name, *Ptiliogonys caudatus*, directly translates to 'downy-kneed long-tailed,' referring to its...