From Opus

Photo by Illapa
Aguas Calientes, Cusco, Peru

Thlypopsis ruficeps

[edit] Identification

12cm. A small, brightly coloured thin-billed tanager.

• Bright rufous crown, side of head to below eye and malar area
• Brightly olive-green upperparts
• Blackish primary coverts, dusky flight-feathers edged bright olive-green
• Olive-green tail
• Bright yellow central throat and underparts, sides and flanks tinged olive

Females are similar but duller, they have a buffy yellow forehead and ocular area and a mostly olive middle crown to nape.

juvenile
Photo by Fritz73
Photographed: Calilegua NP, Jujuy, Argentina.

Immatures are much duller, mainly olive-green above with an ill-defined yellowish eyebrow.

[edit] Distribution

Found in the Andes from south-central Peru south to Bolivia and northwest Argentina.
Fairly common to locally common in its range.

[edit] Taxonomy

This is a monotypic species¹.

[edit] Habitat

Forest borders and bushy second growth in humid areas and borders of cloudforest.
Generally found at 1500 - 3700m, slightly lower in Argentina.

[edit] Behaviour

Feeds on insects.
Seen singly, in pairs or in small flocks, often in mixed-species flocks. Moves quickly and restlessly.
Juveniles seen at different times of year, no other information about breeding.
Appears to be partially migratory in extreme south of range. No seasonal movements in rest of range.

[edit] References

1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, B.L. Sullivan, C. L. Wood, and D. Roberson. 2012. The eBird/Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to October 2012. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/downloadable-clements-checklist
2. Del Hoyo, J, A Elliott, and D Christie, eds. 2011. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 16: Tanagers to New World Blackbirds. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8496553781

[edit] External Links