Tolmomyias sulphurescens
The Yellow-olive Flatbill, *Tolmomyias sulphurescens*, is a vibrant and widespread Neotropical flycatcher, instantly recognizable by its compact size (averaging 13-14 cm and 14-18 g) and the distinctively broad, flattened bill that characterizes its genus. Its plumage features olive-green upperparts, bright sulfur-yellow underparts, and a grayish head often marked with a faint, paler supercilium and a prominent, broken white eye-ring. Two yellowish wing-bars stand out against dark wings, aidi...
This species primarily inhabits the canopy and sub-canopy of humid tropical and subtropical forests, forest edges, secondary growth, and occasionally shaded plantations, typically occurring from lowlands up to elevations of about 1,500 meters.
The Yellow-olive Flatbill primarily consumes insects and other arthropods, which it captures by aerial hawking or gleaning from foliage, occasionally supplementing its diet with small berries.
These active diurnal birds are typically observed alone or in pairs, though they may occasionally join mixed-species foraging flocks, particularly during the non-breeding season. Their foraging strategy is classic flycatcher style, involving quick, agile sallies from an exposed or semi-exposed pe...
The Yellow-olive Flatbill boasts an expansive distribution spanning much of the Neotropics, from southern Mexico south through Central America to northern and central South America. Its breeding range covers countries including Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Ri...
Least Concern
- Its broad, flattened bill, characteristic of its genus, is a specialized tool for snatching insects in flight or from foliage, giving it the common name "flatbill. - The Yellow-olive Flatbill often builds its unique purse-shaped nest deliberately close to active wasp nests, providing a natural ...