Uromyias agraphia
The Unstreaked Tit-Tyrant (Uromyias agraphia) is a diminutive and often elusive passerine belonging to the Tyrannidae family, a group commonly known as tyrant flycatchers. Measuring a mere 11-12 cm in length and weighing 6-8 grams, this small bird exhibits a remarkably plain, unstreaked plumage that distinguishes it from its more patterned relatives, a feature underscored by its specific epithet "agraphia" meaning "unmarked." Its overall coloration is a muted olive-brown above, transitioning ...
This species strictly inhabits high-altitude montane scrub and Polylepis woodland edges, typically found between 3,000 to 4,500 meters (9,800 to 14,800 feet) above sea level in the Andes. It shows a strong preference for dense, stunted vegetation in paramo and puna zones.
Feeds primarily on small arthropods, including insects (beetles, flies, small moths, caterpillars) and spiders, which it gleans from foliage and occasionally catches in flight.
The Unstreaked Tit-Tyrant is a highly active, diurnal species, often observed singly or in pairs, flitting restlessly through dense shrubbery. Its foraging strategy primarily involves gleaning small insects and spiders from leaves and twigs, often hanging upside down like a true tit, and occasion...
The Unstreaked Tit-Tyrant has a highly restricted and fragmented distribution, endemic to the high Andes of south-central Peru and extreme western Bolivia. Its primary strongholds are found in the departments of Cusco, Puno, and ApurÃmac in Peru, extending eastward into the La Paz department of B...
Near Threatened
- The "agraphia" in its scientific name directly translates from Greek as "unmarked" or "unstreaked," referring to its plain plumage. - Despite its drab appearance, it possesses an incredibly complex, high-pitched song, often described as a "whispered trill," disproportionate to its size. - It is...