Sirystes albocinereus
The White-rumped Sirystes (Sirystes albocinereus) is a strikingly patterned, medium-sized tyrant-flycatcher, typically measuring 18-19 cm (7-7.5 in) in length and weighing approximately 30-38 grams. Its most defining field mark, which lends its common name, is the brilliant white rump that sharply contrasts with a dark slate-gray crown and nape, and a slightly paler gray back and wings. The underparts are predominantly white, sometimes with a faint grayish wash on the flanks, while its tail i...
This species primarily inhabits the canopy and subcanopy of humid tropical evergreen and deciduous forests, showing a preference for tall trees within relatively open understories. It is typically found at elevations ranging from lowlands up to about 1,200 meters (3,900 feet) in the Andean foothi...
Its diet consists almost exclusively of insects, including beetles, moths, grasshoppers, ants, and wasps, which it primarily captures through aerial sallying flights from perches in the forest canopy.
The White-rumped Sirystes is a diurnal, arboreal species often observed foraging solitarily or in pairs, though it frequently joins mixed-species flocks, actively moving through the mid-to-upper forest canopy. Its primary foraging strategy is sallying, launching from a high, exposed perch to snat...
The White-rumped Sirystes is a resident species widely distributed across the northern and western Amazon Basin in South America, extending into neighboring regions. Its extensive range includes eastern Colombia, southern Venezuela, eastern Ecuador, eastern Peru, northern Bolivia, and vast portio...
Least Concern
- The genus name "Sirystes" originates from the Ancient Greek word "siristēs," meaning "whistler," a direct reference to its remarkably clear and far-carrying vocalizations. - Despite being relatively widespread, the White-rumped Sirystes can be surprisingly challenging to observe, often being de...