Elaenia parvirostris
The Small-billed Elaenia (Elaenia parvirostris) is a demure yet captivating member of the tyrant flycatcher family, Tyrannidae, renowned for its extensive trans-equatorial migration. Measuring a compact 12-13.5 cm (4.7-5.3 in) in length and weighing a mere 10-15 grams, this species exhibits a subtle beauty with olive-grey upperparts, a contrasting white throat, and a pale yellowish wash across its belly. Distinctive field marks include two prominent white wing-bars, a faint white eye-ring, an...
Found in open woodlands, forest edges, savannas, secondary growth, parks, and orchards, typically at lower to mid-elevations.
Primarily insectivorous, feeding on various small insects, but also supplements its diet with small fruits and berries, especially during non-breeding seasons.
Small-billed Elaenias are primarily diurnal, often observed singly or in pairs, though they may join mixed-species flocks outside the breeding season, especially during migration. They are active foragers, employing a combination of gleaning insects from foliage and making short, agile sallies to...
The Small-billed Elaenia exhibits a dramatic trans-equatorial migratory pattern. Its breeding grounds are predominantly in south-central South America, spanning across Bolivia, Paraguay, southern Brazil (primarily Rio Grande do Sul), Uruguay, and Argentina (south to Chubut province). Following th...
Least Concern
- The Small-billed Elaenia undertakes one of the longest migratory journeys for its size among South American passerines, traversing thousands of kilometers across the Amazon basin. - Its subtle plumage and small size often make it a challenging bird to identify in the field, even for experienced...