Order: PASSERIFORMES

Family: TYRANNIDAE

Etymology

Mionectes: Gr. meionekteo= to have too little, meionektes= small, having suffered a loss. olivaceus: L. olive= olive, olivaceus= olive-green.

Description

Its length is 13cm. It is very similar to the shape of the head of the M. striaticollis. Its crown, sides of the head and the upper parts are of a dark greenish olive tone. It has a small postocular whitish spot. In the lower parts it has an olive hue which fades to yellow in the center of the belly. Its throat, chest and sides are flamed and striated in yellow.

Sub-species: Olive-striped Flycatcher (Mionectes olivaceus fasciaticollis), Chapman, 1923.

Similar species

Its length is 13cm. It is very similar to the shape of the head of the M. Striatum. Its crown, sides of the head and the upper parts are of a dark greenish olive tone. It has a small postocular whitish spot. In the lower parts it has an olive hue which fades to yellow in the center of the abdomen. Its throat, chest and sides are flamed and striated in yellow.

Regional Differences

We found three subspecies; hederaceus is found in the North and West of Colombia, galbinus in the Santa Marta region and venezuelensis in the eastern parts of the Andes, reaching as far as Venezuela.

Distribution

It is distributed in Colombia, Costa Rica, Venezuela and Peru. It inhabits humid jungle, mountain and secondary forest, up to 1800m. (Mainly in foothills and low slopes). In Colombia, specifically In the Cerro de Tacarcuna on the border with Panama coast and Pacific slope. In foothills along the northern base of the western and central cordillera to the middle Magdalena valley south to Cundinamarca. In the middle valley of Cauca (Yotoco, Valle); in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and in the Serranía de Perijá. On the eastern slope of the Eastern mountain range south to Meta (including the Serranía de la Macarena) and a visual record in the west of Caquetá. In Costa Rica to the north of Venezuela and in the south in hills and mountains to the south of Peru.

Habitat

It is usually very common (but inconspicuous and seen infrequently) in humid and very humid forest, edges and high secondary forest, especially in humid and shady understory in ravines. Their numbers are best revealed by netting them. It is replaced at higher elevations by the Streak-necked Flycatcher

Feeding

It catches insects with rapid movements, but its diet consists mainly of small berries and aril-bearing fruits of species such as Clusia and Trema.

Reproduction

The nests of this species are balloon-shaped with side entry (no hanging material), suspended from roots. In them they deposit 2 to 3 white eggs for 18 to 20 days, with approximately the same period of time for the juveniles to leave the nest.

Behaviour

It is solitary or occasionally and briefly with mixed flocks. He almost always seems shy and nervous. It is mainly frugivorous. Pick small berries in the undergrowth with a quick flutter. It also scavenges in flight over foliage or hangs momentarily from leaves – frequently shaking its head and eagerly parting its wings (Or flashing a single wing like the Leoptopogon).

Taxonomy

Its taxonomy is confusing. It is closely related to M. Striaticollis. Their populations vary along two distributions from North to South; from the South of Costa Rica to the West of Ecuador, and from the eastern base of the mountains of the Northeast of Venezuela, the South of Trinidad to the South of Bolivia.

Conservation Status

Least concern.

Vocalization/ Voice

https://www.xeno-canto.org/379801

References

Hilty, S. L. and W. L. Brown. 2001. Guide to the Birds of Colombia. Princetn. Univ. Press, Princeton, NJ

Ridgely, R. S, Tudor. G. (2009). Field Guide to the Songbirds of South America: The Passerines. University of Texas Press.

Ridgely, R. S, Tudor. G, Brown, W. L (1994). The Birds of South America: The suboscine passerines. University of Texas Press.