Flammulated flycatcher facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Flammulated flycatcher |
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| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Tyrannidae |
| Genus: | Ramphotrigon |
| Species: |
R. flammulatum
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| Binomial name | |
| Ramphotrigon flammulatum (Lawrence, 1875)
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| Synonyms | |
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The flammulated flycatcher (Ramphotrigon flammulatum) is a type of bird in the Tyrannidae family. It's a small bird that lives only along the Pacific coast of Mexico. You can find it in dry forests and scrubby areas.
This flycatcher is mostly olive to gray-brown. It has a streaked, pale gray chest and a white throat. Its beak is black, and its feet are dark gray. The bird usually stays hidden in bushes and trees. It finds insects by looking from a branch and then picking them off leaves and twigs. Female flammulated flycatchers lay about three eggs in a shallow nest built inside a tree hole.
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About Its Name
The flammulated flycatcher was first described in 1875 by a bird expert named George Newbold Lawrence. He first put it in the Myiarchus group of birds.
Later, in 1893, another expert, Robert Ridgway, decided it was different enough to have its own group, called Deltarhynchus. This was because it had a shorter, wider beak and different wings and chest markings.
Why Its Name Changed
For many years, this bird stayed in its own group. But in 1982, an expert named Wesley Lanyon suggested it was actually closely related to birds in the Ramphotrigon group.
Newer studies in 2008 and 2020 used DNA to look at bird relationships. These studies showed that the flammulated flycatcher truly belonged with the Ramphotrigon birds. Because of this, it was officially moved to the Ramphotrigon group.
The word "flammulated" comes from a Latin word meaning "little flame." This bird does not have any different types or subspecies.
What It Looks Like
The flammulated flycatcher is about 6 to 6.5 inches (15-16.5 cm) long. It has a somewhat thick body. Both male and female birds look similar.
Their upper parts and head are olive to gray-brown. They have a whitish stripe above their eyes and a light crescent shape behind them. Their throat is whitish, and their chest is pale gray with faint streaks. Their belly is a pale yellow.
Wings, Beak, and Eyes
This bird has dark brown, rounded wings. The edges of its wing feathers are a pale cinnamon color. Its wings are about 3 inches (7.6 cm) long. The tail is also dark brown with a narrow pale cinnamon edge.
The bird's bill is black, wide, and shaped like a triangle. Its legs are dark gray with large, sharp claws. It has brown eyes and an orange mouth. Young birds look much like adults, but their tail has a wider band of pale cinnamon.
What It Sounds Like
Bird Songs and Calls
The flammulated flycatcher mostly sings from April to August. This is when it breeds. It often stays hidden while singing.
Its song is a sad-sounding whistle followed by a short, quick roll. It can also make a sad, slurred "chew" sound. This sound is often repeated three to five times, getting lower each time. It also makes a squeaky chatter.
Both male and female birds make these calls. They use them all day long to show where they are, identify themselves, warn others of danger, and mark their territory. During breeding season, males sing a special "dawn song" every morning. This song includes calls like "chee-bee beet" and "churr-r-r-bee bee."
Where It Lives
This flycatcher lives only in the lowlands along Mexico's western coast. You can find it from Sinaloa down to western Chiapas. It might also live in Guatemala, but this is not yet confirmed.
The total area where it lives is about 66,000 square kilometers (25,000 sq mi). It is not found everywhere in this area and lives in small numbers. It prefers dry deciduous forests, thorny forests, and scrubby woodlands. It lives at heights of about 1000–1400 meters (3280–4593 ft) above sea level. This bird does not migrate; it stays in the same area all year.
Its Conservation Status
The flammulated flycatcher is listed as a species of least concern on the IUCN Red List. This means it is not currently in danger. This is because it lives in a large area. Experts believe there are more than 10,000 of these birds. However, no exact count of its population has been made.
Even though the bird is uncommon in some places, its population is not thought to be dropping quickly. It is not declining enough to be considered "near threatened." The exact trends of its population are also not fully known.
How It Behaves
This flycatcher is a slow and shy bird. It usually stays hidden in the bushes and undergrowth. When it gets excited, like when it sees another bird or wants to attract a mate, it raises the feathers on its head. This makes it look like it has a crest.
However, unlike its close relatives in the Myiarchus group, it does not bob its head when it shows off its crest.
How It Eats
The flammulated flycatcher finds food by perching on an open branch. From there, it looks out and down for insects. Insects are its main food.
Once it spots a possible meal, the flycatcher quickly flies straight at the insect. The insect is usually on the top surface of a leaf or twig. The bird hovers briefly in front of the insect. Then, it grabs the insect with its beak and flies away, usually to a new branch.
How It Reproduces
The flycatcher breeds around June each year. It builds its nest in shallow holes in trees. These nests are surprisingly close to the ground, about 90 cm (35 in) high.
The nest is shaped like a cup. It is made of fine plant fibers, dried leaves, and shredded bark. Unlike similar Myiarchus flycatchers, it does not use things like snakeskin in its nest. The female lays three eggs. These eggs are creamy to pinkish in color and have brown and gray spots.
 | Claudette Colvin |
 | Myrlie Evers-Williams |
 | Alberta Odell Jones |
