| Double-banded pygmy tyrant | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Double-banded pygmy tyrant atPresidente Figueiredo,Amazonas state,Brazil | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Tyrannidae |
| Genus: | Lophotriccus |
| Species: | L. vitiosus |
| Binomial name | |
| Lophotriccus vitiosus (Bangs &Penard, TE, 1921) | |
 | |
Thedouble-banded pygmy tyrant (Lophotriccus vitiosus) is a species ofbird in the familyTyrannidae, the tyrant flycatchers. It is found inBrazil,Colombia,Ecuador,French Guiana,Guyana,Peru, andSuriname.[2]
The double-banded pygmy tyrant wasoriginally described in 1921 asCometornis vitiosus. The authors erected genusCometornis for it and some other newly described species and subspecies. They soon recognized that by theprinciple of priorityCometornis had to be replaced byLophotriccus.[3][4]
The double-banded pygmy tyrant has these four subspecies:[2]
SubspeciesL. v. congener was originally described as a full species and was treated that way by some authors until the mid-twentieth century.[5][6] In addition, several authors have suggested that genusLophotriccus should be merged into genusHemitriccus.[6]
The double-banded pygmy tyrant is about 10 cm (3.9 in) long and weighs 6 to 8.5 g (0.21 to 0.30 oz). It has long crown feathers that form a crest and that it occasionally erects and fans; the feathers extend past the back of the head when folded. Females have a smaller crest than males but the sexes otherwise have the same plumage. Adults of thenominate subspeciesL. v. vitiosus have a black crest with gray edges on the feathers. They have whitishlores on an otherwise olive face. Their back, rump, and uppertailcoverts are olive. Their wings are dusky with greenish yellow to yellowish white edges on the flight feathers and tips on the coverts; the latter show as twowing bars. Their tail is dusky. Their throat and upper breast are white with dusky olive streaks. The rest of their underparts are mostly white with a light yellow wash on the flanks andcrissum. SubspeciesL. v. affinis has an olive tinge on the breast and sides and a yellower belly than the nominate.L. v. guianensis has darker gray edges on the crown feathers and stronger yellow underparts than the nominate.L. v. congener has buffy yellow edges on the crown feathers. All subspecies have a straw-yellow iris, a gray bill, and dusky pinkish legs and feet.[7][8][9][10][11]
The double-banded pygmy tyrant has adisjunct distribution. The subspecies are found thus:[2][7][8][9][10][11]
The double-banded pygmy tyrant inhabits the tropical zone, primarily in humidterra firme andsecondary forest and less oftenvárzea forest. It occurs both in the forest interior and on its edges. In elevation it reaches 500 m (1,600 ft) in Colombia, 600 m (2,000 ft) in Ecuador, 750 m (2,500 ft) in Peru, and 800 m (2,600 ft) in Brazil.[7][8][9][10][11]
The double-banded pygmy tyrant is a year-round resident.[7]
The double-banded pygmy tyrant's diet has not been detailed but is assumed to be mostly insects. It mostly forages singly, sometimes in pairs, from the forest's middle level to its canopy, and only rarely joinsmixed-species feeding flocks. It perches inconspicuously and takes prey mostly by using short upward sallies from the perch to grab it from leaves.[7][8][9]
The double-banded pygmy tyrant's breeding season has not been detailed but appears to include at least August and September in western Amazonia. Its nest is a domed bag with a side entrance near its bottom under a small "awning". It is made from green moss and dried grass, some of which often dangles below the nest. It is typically hung from a tree branch about 4 m (15 ft) above the ground and sometimes over a stream. The clutch is two eggs. The incubation period, time to fledging, and details of parental care are not known.[7]
| Songs and calls |
The double-banded pygmy tyrant'ssong has some regional variation. In Ecuador it is described as "a distinctive short harsh trill that descends in pitch, 'turrrrrrew' ".[9] In Peru, subspeciesL. v. vitiosus sings a similarly described "descending, harsh, ringingdjzeeer" whileL. v. congener sings a "similar, but considerably lower-pitchedbeerrrrrrp". The species' calls include "a quiet, tinklingpik".[10]
TheIUCN has assessed the double-banded pygmy tyrant as being of Least Concern. It has a large range; its population size is not known and is believed to be decreasing. No immediate threats have been identified.[1] It is considered overall uncommon to locally fairly common though poorly known.[7]
