Greenish Elaenia - Myiopagis viridicata

Greenish Elaenia (Myiopagis viridicata)

Brazil

The Greenish Elaenia is found from Colombia and Venezuela south to Paraguay and northern Argentina with a disjunct population on the Pacific coast of Ecuador.

The first two photos were taken on the Ilha São José, Roraima while photos 3 to 5 were taken near Jeremoabo, Bahia

Since we had found the first bird in Roraima, we had to be particularly careful with the ID since, according to the map in Ridgely & Tudor, this would be a range extension, albeit a smallish one.

Jeremy Minns' notes were: "small - grey head - short beak, base pale, tip darker - short black line behind eye -whitish mark on lores - indistinct half eye ring - olive green above - some yellow on wing bend - no wing bars - tertials edged pale - throat grey - underparts yellow, but dusky on breast and flanks."

Greenish Elaenia, Jeremoabo, Bahia, Brazil, March 2004 - click for larger image

Given that we could not see the semiconcealed yellow crown patch, the key features to the ID were the lack of wing bars and the underparts which are described in Hilty & Brown as: "grayish throat merging into olive gray chest is set off from pale yellow lower breast and belly."

As so often is the case, the ID was clinched by the voice. You can find Jeremy Minns' recording of its call here.

It is usually found in drier areas and light woodland or clearings. Photos 3 to 5 were taken in some caatinga near Jeremoabo. Note the generally erect posture of the bird.

There are illustrations in Hilty & Brown, Plate 37; and Ridgely & Greenfield, Plate 68.

Back to Index

If you do not see a menu on the left, you may have arrived at this page from another site. Please click Home to get to my main page.