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Birds of Zihuatanejo

CLASS AVES

-Animals (Kingdom Animalia)

-Chordates (Phylum Chordata)

-Vertebrates (Subphylum Vertebrata)

-Birds (Class Aves)

-Perching Birds (Order Passeriformes)

-Tyrant Flycatchers (Family Tyrannidae)

-Myiarchus Flycatchers (Genus Myiarchus)

-Brown-crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus tyrannulus)


The Brown-crested Flycatcher is a fairly large flycatcher with large hooked bill. Brownish with paler gray throat, pale yellow belly, and rufous edges on flight feathers and tail. Feeds mainly on insects, such as cicadas, grasshoppers, and beetles, also other large insects such as dragonflies, praying mantises.

Brown-crested Flycatcher

Myiarchus tyrannulus

Diet

  • Primarily insects, including beetles, grasshoppers, crickets, flies, bees, wasps, dragonflies, caterpillars, and spiders.

  • Also feeds on berries, small fruits, and occasionally seeds, particularly during the non-breeding season.

  • Hunts from exposed perches, making swift aerial sallies to capture flying insects or gleaning prey from foliage.

Range

  • Found from the southwestern United States through Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and much of South America to northern Argentina.

  • Widespread throughout Mexico, including the Zihuatanejo region, where it is a common year-round resident.

  • Inhabits tropical dry forests, thorn scrub, open woodland, woodland edges, riparian forests, agricultural areas, and parks, generally from sea level to about 2,000 m.

Male / Female

  • Male: Gray head and throat, brownish-olive back, pale gray breast, bright yellow belly, and extensive rich rufous colouring in the wings and tail. Slightly larger than the female.

  • Female: Nearly identical in plumage but generally smaller and less robust.

  • Sexes cannot be reliably distinguished in the field except by subtle size differences or breeding behaviour.

Size

  • Length: 20–23 cm (7.9–9.1 in)

  • Wingspan: 31–35 cm (12.2–13.8 in)

  • Weight: 30–42 g

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