Phylloscartes superciliaris
The Rufous-browed Tyrannulet (Phylloscartes superciliaris) is a diminutive and active neotropical passerine, a vibrant jewel of the cloud forest understory. Measuring approximately 11 cm (4.3 in) in length and weighing around 8-10 grams, it boasts striking yellowish-olive upperparts that contrast sharply with bright lemon-yellow underparts. Its most distinctive field mark is a prominent rufous supercilium, or brow, which stands out against a dark loral mask and a broken white eye-ring, giving...
This species primarily inhabits humid montane evergreen forests, cloud forests, and their edges, particularly in the subcanopy and mid-story. It is typically found at elevations ranging from 800 to 2,500 meters (2,600-8,200 feet).
The Rufous-browed Tyrannulet feeds almost exclusively on small insects and other arthropods, which it gleans from the undersides of leaves and twigs in the forest canopy and subcanopy.
Rufous-browed Tyrannulets are highly active during daylight hours, constantly flitting through the foliage in search of food, often flicking their wings and tails. They are primarily insectivorous, employing a 'gleaning' foraging strategy where they snatch insects from the undersides of leaves an...
The Rufous-browed Tyrannulet exhibits a fragmented, disjunct distribution across Central and South America, primarily confined to montane regions. In Central America, it is found in the highlands of Costa Rica and western Panama. South American populations are more scattered; one extends through ...
Least Concern
- The Rufous-browed Tyrannulet's most striking feature, its rufous brow, is often considered one of the most distinctive facial patterns among the small, often similarly colored tyrannulets. - Despite its small size, it's an incredibly active bird, constantly flitting and twitching its tail as it...