Snethlage's Tody-Tyrant

Hemitriccus minor

The Snethlage's Tody-Tyrant (Hemitriccus minor) is a diminutive and often inconspicuous passerine bird belonging to the tyrant-flycatcher family, Tyrannidae. Measuring a mere 9.5-10.5 cm in length and weighing 6.5-8.5 grams, it is a master of camouflage in the dense Amazonian undergrowth. Its plumage is primarily olive-green on the upperparts, contrasting with a clean white throat and a bright yellow belly. Key identification features include a prominent white supercilium that often appears b...

Habitat

This species primarily inhabits the understory and lower canopy of humid lowland evergreen forests, including terra firme and várzea forests, as well as secondary growth and forest edges. It is typically found at elevations below 500 meters.

Diet

Its diet consists almost exclusively of small insects and other arthropods, which it primarily obtains through active sally-gleaning and gleaning from foliage.

Behavior

Snethlage's Tody-Tyrant is a diurnal and highly active bird, primarily observed singly or in pairs, often joining mixed-species foraging flocks, particularly in the mid-story. Its foraging strategy involves active sally-gleaning: darting out from a perch to snatch insects from leaves or twigs, of...

Range

Snethlage's Tody-Tyrant is widely distributed across the Amazon Basin of South America, making it a resident species throughout its extensive range. Its primary distribution covers large parts of Brazil, extending into eastern Peru, northern Bolivia, southern Colombia, and eastern Ecuador. Additi...

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Fun Facts

- Named after Emilie Snethlage, a renowned German-Brazilian ornithologist who was instrumental in studying Amazonian birds. - One of the smallest members of the extensive tyrant-flycatcher family (Tyrannidae), often challenging to spot due to its size and cryptic coloration. - Despite its small s...

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