Tropical Gnatcatcher (Polioptila plumbea)
Male Tropical Gnatcatcher, Boa Nova, Brazil, Brazil, July 2002 - click for larger image Boa Nova, Bahia, Brazil
July 2002

The Tropical Gnatcatcher is the most numerous and widespread of this family of small slender birds with long tails. It is found from Mexico into the northern part of South America from the Pacific coast of Peru to the Atlantic coast of Bahia.

It inhabits woodland, forest borders, mangroves and scrub and it gleans for insects in the foliage and on twigs.

Male Tropical Gnatcatcher, Boa Nova, Brazil, Brazil, July 2002 - click for larger image The male is bluish grey above with a black crown while below it is grey to whitish. The female is similar but lacks the black crown. It constantly twitches its long tail and is often found in flocks of insect-eating birds.

There are illustrations in Ridgely & Tudor, Volume 1, Plate 4; and Hilty & Brown, Plate 42.
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