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Dusky-capped Flycatcher | Myiarchus tuberculifer
Donkerkaptiran | Copetón capirotado
The Dusky-capped Flycatcher is one of the most widespread members of the genus Myiarchus, ranging from the south-western United States to Argentina. In the Caribbean it occurs only on Trinidad, home to the nominate subspecies. It is smaller than the island's other Myiarchus species and keeps more to forest.
Voice
Plaintive, drawn-out whistles alternating with short huit calls; also buzzy trills, gravelly chatters and sharp or thin whistled notes.
Recording: Juan Freile — CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 · converted to mono · xeno-canto
Identification
16–18 cm, with a slight crest. The crown is sooty brown and contrasts clearly with the dark greenish olive-brown back. The wings are dark with pale edgings, the tail dark greyish brown with little or no rufous. Throat and breast are grey, the belly yellow. The bill is black with a paler base, the iris dark brown. The sexes are alike.
Confusion species
Brown-crested Flycatcher Myiarchus tyrannulus is larger, with a heavier bill, a crown that hardly contrasts with the back and rufous inner webs to the tail feathers; it lives in drier, more open country. Venezuelan Flycatcher Myiarchus venezuelensis of Tobago is larger and lacks the dark cap. Piratic Flycatcher Legatus leucophaius and Variegated Flycatcher Empidonomus varius have a striped head and no crest.
Habitat
Forest of various types, secondary forest, forest edges, riverine forest and plantations, from sea level into the hills. It hunts insects from a perch in the middle and upper levels of the forest and also takes small fruit.
Where the bird is most at home, classified by the vegetation types of the Caribbean.
Range and movements
In the Caribbean only on Trinidad, mainly in the forested hills and mountains. Outside the region from the south-western United States through Mexico and Central America and across much of South America, south to northern Argentina and south-eastern Brazil.
- Resident
- dark = core range, pale = thinly spread
How and when to look
Forest edges and trails in Trinidad's Northern Range. The plaintive whistle is the best lead; the bird itself often perches high and is then recognised by its small size and the contrast between dark cap and back.
Conservation status
Not threatened. The species is widespread and tolerates secondary forest and plantations.
Scientific name
Myiarchus tuberculifer | (d'Orbigny, ACVMD & de Lafresnaye, 1837)
D'Orbigny, ACVMD & de Lafresnaye described the species in 1837 as T[yrannus] tuberculifer; because it was later moved to another genus, the author and year stand in brackets. The genus Myiarchus was introduced in 1844 by Cabanis. Myiarchus is Greek, from muia 'fly' and arkhos 'ruler': 'fly-ruler'. tuberculifer is Latin, from tuberculum 'small swelling' and -fer 'bearing'; what the 'swelling' refers to is unclear. The specimen the first description was based on came from Guarayos, Santa Cruz, Bolivia.