From Opus

Photo by Oregonian
Location: Finca Ixobel, Peten, Guatemala.

Zimmerius vilissimus

Includes Mistletoe Tyrannulet, Venezuelan Tyrannulet

[edit] Identification

9.5 cm long and weighs 8.5 g. Olive-green upperparts, grey crown and supercilia, black wings with yellow feather edging, long dark tail, off white grey streaked throat and breast, white belly, yellow-green flanks, black long legs. Sexes similar.

The call is a loud peeer and the dawn song is yer-de-dee, yer-de-dee.

[edit] Distribution

Southern Mexico to Panama, Colombia and Venezuela. Common and widespread.

[edit] Taxonomy

Five subspecies are recognized^[1]:

• Z. v. vilissimus
• Z. v. parvus
• Z. v. improbus
• Z. v. tamae
• Z. v. petersi

Gill and Donsker (2010)^[2] recognise Venezuelan Tyrannulet Zimmerius improbus as a separate species (includes Z. i. improbus, Z. i. tamae, Z. i. petersi).

[edit] Habitat

Humid forests, second growth, plantations, pasture with trees and shady gardens.

[edit] Behaviour

It builds a spherical nest made of mosses, lined with plant firbre, with a side entrance. Typically 2 rufous-marked dull white eggs are laid. Female incubates for 14 days and after 17 days the young fledge.

It is usually seen alone or in pairs high in trees.

The diet is mainly mistletoe, but also other berries and small insects, all taken in flight.

[edit] References

1. Clements, JF. 2010. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2010. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/Clements%206.5.xls/view
2. Gill, F and D Donsker (Eds). 2010. IOC World Bird Names (version 2.7). Available at http://www.worldbirdnames.org/.

[edit] External Links