Myioborus pariae
The Paria Whitestart (`Myioborus pariae`), a striking member of the New World Warbler family (Parulidae), is a small passerine endemic to the cloud forests of Venezuela's remote Paria Peninsula. Measuring approximately 13 cm in length and weighing 10.5-12.5 grams, its plumage features dark grey upperparts, a black head adorned with a prominent white supercilium and a distinct white crescent below the eye, and vibrant yellow underparts that fade to white on the undertail coverts. A semi-concea...
Confined to humid montane cloud and elfin forests, typically found at elevations between 800 and 1150 meters, often favoring forest edges and clearings.
Feeds primarily on insects and other small invertebrates, which it typically gleans from vegetation or occasionally catches in flight.
The Paria Whitestart is a diurnal and highly active insectivore, constantly on the move as it forages within the mid-story and understory of its forest habitat. Its primary foraging strategy involves gleaning insects and small invertebrates from foliage, branches, and trunks, often employing a ch...
The Paria Whitestart's geographic distribution is exceptionally narrow, being entirely restricted to the cloud forests of the Paria Peninsula, located in Sucre state, northeastern Venezuela. This species is a non-migratory resident throughout its tiny range, with no known breeding or wintering ar...
Endangered
- The Paria Whitestart is a true Venezuelan endemic, found nowhere else on Earth but the isolated Paria Peninsula. - Despite its name, its tail-fanning behavior, typical of other whitestarts (Myioborus), is less pronounced, yet still effective for flushing insects. - It is one of the most geograp...