Ramphotrigon ruficauda
The Rufous-tailed Flatbill (Ramphotrigon ruficauda) is a striking, medium-sized tyrant flycatcher, measuring approximately 16 cm (6.3 in) in length and weighing between 21-25 grams. Its plumage is characterized by olive-green upperparts, a dusky cap, and a bright, unmistakable rufous tail, which serves as its most distinctive field mark. Underparts transition from a pale throat to a greener breast and yellowish belly, often with subtle streaking. This species possesses a notably broad, flatte...
This species primarily inhabits the dense understory of lowland humid evergreen forests, often favoring areas near water, swamps, or terra firme forests with tangled vegetation. It is typically found at elevations below 500 meters, though occasionally recorded up to 1000 meters.
Primarily insectivorous, feeding on small to medium-sized insects such as beetles, flies, crickets, and mantids, along with spiders. It forages by sally-striking from a perch or gleaning from foliage.
The Rufous-tailed Flatbill is a diurnal and rather sedentary bird, usually observed singly or in pairs, rarely joining mixed-species flocks. Its foraging strategy involves perching quietly and motionless for extended periods in the shaded understory, often at eye-level or slightly above. From thi...
The Rufous-tailed Flatbill is a resident species, widely distributed across the Amazon Basin and the Guianas in South America. Its breeding range encompasses southern Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana, extending south through eastern Colombia, eastern Ecuador, eastern Peru, and north...
Least Concern
- Its remarkably broad and flat bill is a specialized adaptation for catching insects, making it an efficient aerial predator in dense undergrowth. - Despite its bright rufous tail, its overall cryptic olive-green plumage allows it to blend seamlessly into the shaded forest understory. - Often de...