Myioborus melanocephalus
The Spectacled Whitestart (*Myioborus melanocephalus*) is a striking small New World Warbler, typically measuring 13-13.5 cm (5.1-5.3 in) in length and weighing 8.5-12.5 grams. Its most distinctive features are its bright yellow underparts, olive-green back, and a contrasting black head adorned with prominent, brilliant yellow 'spectacles' formed by its orbital ring and supraloral stripe. Its black tail, often fanned, reveals conspicuous white outer tail feathers, a key identifier during its ...
This species primarily inhabits high-elevation humid montane forests, cloud forests, and their edges, extending into secondary growth with scattered trees. It is typically found between 2,000 and 3,500 meters (6,500-11,500 feet) above sea level.
The diet of the Spectacled Whitestart consists almost exclusively of insects and other small arthropods, including flies, beetles, moths, caterpillars, and spiders. They primarily catch prey in mid-air through aerial hawking or glean them from vegetation.
Spectacled Whitestarts are highly active, diurnal insectivores, characterized by their almost constant movement through the mid-story and canopy. Their primary foraging strategy involves making frequent, acrobatic aerial sallies from perches to snatch flying insects, often gleaning others from fo...
The Spectacled Whitestart is a resident species distributed throughout the Andes Mountains of South America, exhibiting a largely continuous but complex range. Its distribution extends from extreme western Venezuela (in the states of Táchira, Mérida, and Trujillo) southward through all three cord...
Least Concern
- Its scientific name *melanocephalus* is derived from Greek, literally meaning "black head," a direct reference to its striking crown. - The bright yellow patches around its eyes, resembling eyeglasses, are the inspiration for its common name, 'Spectacled Whitestart'. - Like other members of its...