Zimmerius cinereicapilla
The Red-billed Tyrannulet (*Zimmerius cinereicapilla*) is a diminutive and often inconspicuous member of the tyrant-flycatcher family (Tyrannidae), typically measuring just 9.5 to 10.5 cm (3.7-4.1 inches) in length and weighing approximately 6-8 grams. Its most distinctive field mark, providing its common name, is the bright reddish-orange lower mandible, contrasting with a dark maxilla. Overall plumage is rather plain, featuring a dusky gray cap that extends to the nape, an olive-green back,...
Found primarily in humid montane evergreen forests, cloud forests, and their edges, including secondary growth. It typically occurs at elevations ranging from 700 to 2,000 meters (2,300-6,500 feet).
Feeds predominantly on small insects and other arthropods, such as flies, beetles, and caterpillars, which it gleans from foliage or catches in short aerial sallies. It occasionally supplements its diet with small berries or fruits.
This diurnal species is generally observed singly or in pairs, often becoming an active and vocal participant in mixed-species foraging flocks, particularly with other small insectivores. It employs a "hover-glean" foraging strategy, sallying out from perches to snatch insects from foliage or hov...
The Red-billed Tyrannulet is a resident species distributed along the slopes of the Andes mountains in South America. Its breeding and year-round range extends from the extreme west of Venezuela (Táchira, Mérida, Trujillo, Lara, Falcón states) through the three Andean cordilleras of Colombia, con...
Least Concern
- The Red-billed Tyrannulet is named for its distinctive bright reddish-orange lower mandible, a key identification feature. - It’s one of the smallest members of the vast Tyrannidae (tyrant-flycatcher) family, weighing only about 6-8 grams – roughly the weight of two pennies! - Despite its small...