Polioptila bilineata
The White-browed Gnatcatcher (Polioptila bilineata) is a diminutive and active songbird, primarily inhabiting the Neotropics. Measuring a mere 10-12 cm (4-5 inches) in length and weighing around 5-7 grams, it boasts a sleek, long-tailed silhouette. Its plumage is characterized by soft gray upperparts and pristine white underparts, but its most striking feature, particularly in males, is the crisp white supercilium that gives the species its name, sharply bordered below by a black line extendi...
This species favors dry to semi-humid deciduous forests, scrubland, secondary growth, and forest edges, typically at low to mid-elevations up to 1500 meters.
Their diet consists almost exclusively of small insects and spiders, which they glean actively from foliage and small branches, or occasionally catch in short aerial forays.
White-browed Gnatcatchers are perpetually active diurnal birds, ceaselessly flitting through foliage and small branches in search of food. Their foraging strategy primarily involves gleaning insects and spiders from leaves and twigs, often employing acrobatic maneuvers like hovering or making sho...
The White-browed Gnatcatcher is widely distributed across Central and northwestern South America. Its breeding range extends from southern Mexico, through the Pacific slope of Central America (Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama), and into northern Colombia, western Ve...
Least Concern
- The White-browed Gnatcatcher was historically considered a subspecies of the Tropical Gnatcatcher (*Polioptila plumbea*) until genetic studies elevated it to full species status. - Despite its small size, it is incredibly agile, capable of hanging upside down to pluck insects from the underside...