Rhynchocyclus pacificus
The Pacific Flatbill (Rhynchocyclus pacificus) is a medium-sized tyrant flycatcher, typically measuring 15-16 cm in length and weighing 20-25 grams, with a wingspan of approximately 25-28 cm. Its plumage is subtly striking, featuring olive-green upperparts, a dusky grey head with a faint whitish eye-ring, and pale yellow underparts that brighten towards the belly. A key distinguishing field mark is its remarkably broad, flattened bill, dark on the upper mandible and paler on the lower, perfec...
This species primarily inhabits the understory and mid-story of humid evergreen forests, including primary forest, mature secondary growth, and forest edges, typically at elevations ranging from sea level up to 1200 meters.
Primarily insectivorous, feeding on a wide variety of arthropods such as beetles, flies, and spiders, occasionally supplementing with small fruits. Foraging is done by sally-gleaning from foliage and branches.
Pacific Flatbills are diurnal and generally solitary or found in pairs, often perching quietly and unobtrusively in dense foliage. Their foraging strategy involves 'sally-gleaning,' where they make short, deliberate flights to snatch insects and sometimes spiders from the undersides of leaves, tw...
The Pacific Flatbill is a resident species, distributed along the humid Pacific slopes of Central and South America. Its primary breeding and year-round range extends from southern Costa Rica, through Panama, and south into western Colombia and western Ecuador. The species typically occupies elev...
Least Concern
- The Pacific Flatbill's unusually broad, flattened bill, which gives the genus its name 'Rhynchocyclus' (meaning 'beak circle'), is a highly specialized tool for snatching insects from difficult-to-reach spots. - Despite its vivid yellow underparts, this bird is notoriously difficult to spot in ...