Anairetes flavirostris
The Yellow-billed Tit-Tyrant (Anairetes flavirostris) is a charismatic and diminutive passerine, instantly recognizable by its sprightly demeanor and distinctive features. Measuring approximately 11.5 cm (4.5 inches) in length and weighing a mere 7-8.5 grams, this tiny flycatcher boasts a striking bright yellow bill, contrasting sharply with its greyish-olive upperparts and yellowish underparts. A prominent blackish crown often sports a spiky crest, framed by a delicate white supercilium, and...
Found primarily in arid montane scrub, shrublands, and open woodlands (including Polylepis groves) within the high Andes, typically at elevations between 2,000 and 4,700 meters.
Primarily insectivorous, feeding on small insects such as beetles, flies, and caterpillars, which it gleans from foliage and occasionally catches in brief aerial pursuits.
This diurnal species is exceptionally active, constantly flicking its short tail and often raising and lowering its distinctive crest while foraging. It employs a variety of foraging strategies, including gleaning small insects from foliage, performing short hover-gleans, and making quick aerial ...
The Yellow-billed Tit-Tyrant is endemic to the Andean region of South America, with its distribution spanning across several countries at high elevations. Its breeding range extends from central Peru southwards through Bolivia, into northern Chile (Tarapacá region), and northwestern Argentina (pr...
Least Concern
- Its genus name, Anairetes, means 'without supports' or 'unsupported,' possibly referring to its extremely agile and restless movements. - One of the smallest members of the Tyrannidae family, earning the 'tit' part of its name from its tit-like size and active behavior. - The prominent spiky cr...