Myioborus castaneocapilla
The Tepui Whitestart, Myioborus castaneocapilla, is a captivating New World Warbler endemic to the isolated, high-altitude tepuis of the Guiana Shield. Averaging 13 cm (5.1 in) in length and weighing between 8-10.5 grams, it is characterized by its distinctive chestnut crown and nape, contrasting sharply with a dark grey face, back, and wings. Its underparts are a bright, unmarked yellow, with striking white undertail coverts and white outer tail feathers, which are frequently fanned, a hallm...
This species exclusively inhabits humid, mossy dwarf forests, scrub, and forest edges on the summits and upper slopes of tepuis, typically at elevations between 1,000 to 2,800 meters.
Primarily insectivorous, the Tepui Whitestart consumes a variety of small arthropods, including beetles, flies, moths, and caterpillars, which it procures by gleaning and sallying.
The Tepui Whitestart is a highly active and agile insectivore, constantly on the move, flitting through dense vegetation or along forest edges during daylight hours. It primarily forages by gleaning insects from foliage and bark, as well as making rapid aerial sallies to snatch flying prey. Terri...
The Tepui Whitestart is endemic to the isolated tabletop mountains (tepuis) of the Guiana Shield, primarily found across southern Venezuela (Amazonas and Bolívar states), western Guyana, and northern Brazil (Roraima state). Its distribution is highly fragmented, restricted to the summits and uppe...
Least Concern
- The Tepui Whitestart is an obligate resident of the ancient flat-topped mountains known as Tepuis, often called "islands in the sky. - Its scientific name, *castaneocapilla*, literally means "chestnut-capped," referring to its distinctive crown. - Unlike many migratory warblers, this species is...