Elaenia flavogaster
The Yellow-bellied Elaenia (Elaenia flavogaster) is a small, energetic tyrant flycatcher found extensively across the Neotropics. Measuring approximately 15-18 cm (6-7 inches) in length with a wingspan of about 25 cm and weighing 18-25 grams, it presents a subtle yet distinctive appearance. Its upperparts are a dull olive-green, contrasting with a clean white throat and a prominent, often bright, sulfur-yellow belly that gives the species its common name. Key identification marks include a co...
This highly adaptable species thrives in a variety of open and semi-open habitats, including forest edges, clearings, secondary growth, riparian woodlands, urban parks, and cultivated areas, typically from sea level up to 1500-2000 meters in elevation.
Their diet primarily consists of insects, which they capture through aerial hawking and gleaning from foliage, supplemented significantly by small fruits and berries, especially during non-breeding seasons.
Yellow-bellied Elaenias are primarily diurnal, actively foraging throughout the day and often roosting solitarily or in small groups amidst dense foliage. Their foraging strategy is typical of many flycatchers, involving short, aerial sallies from an exposed perch to capture flying insects, but t...
The Yellow-bellied Elaenia boasts an exceptionally broad distribution spanning from southern Mexico, through Central America, and across vast stretches of northern and central South America. Its breeding range extends from the Pacific slope of Oaxaca and Veracruz in Mexico, south through the Yuca...
Least Concern
- The Yellow-bellied Elaenia is one of the most widespread and ecologically adaptable flycatchers in the Neotropics. - Its distinctive "wee-chew" or "pee-wee" call is a common sound in many Central and South American towns and cities. - Despite its name, its "yellow belly" can vary in intensity, ...