From Opus

Polioptila plumbea

Photo by mmdnje
Photo, showing western variety bilineata taken: Guayaquil, Ecuador.

[edit] Identification

10-12.7 cm. Black crown, neck sides and stripe behind the eye, blue-grey upperparts, black wings with white edging on the tertials, long, thin black tail with narrow white tips and edges, white face and belly, pale grey underparts. The female is similar to the male, but with a dark grey, rather than black, crown. Young birds have a brown tinge to the upperparts and face, and whiter underparts.

[edit] Distribution

Southern Mexico to western Peru and the Amazon basin of Brazil.

[edit] Taxonomy

This species currently has about 13 subspecies. Among these, bilineata, cinericia, superciliaris, and brodkorbi have been proposed split into White-browed Gnatcatcher Polioptila bilineata (Mexico to Panama and northern Colombia and Peru) while subspecies maior and maranonica have been proposed split into Maranon Gnatcatcher Polioptila maior (parts of Peru). The remaining subspecies are distributed from Peru and Colombia east to Venezuela, the Guianas, and Brazil. The South American Classification Committee (SACC) seems convinced there is more than one species in the current Tropical Gnatcatcher, but not convinced about where the new species limits should be¹.

White-lored Gnatcatcher has previously been included within Tropical Gnatcatcher but the split seems to be widely accepted.

[edit] Habitat

Lowlands and foothills from sea level to about 1500 m. Canopy of forests, semi-open habitats such as woodland edge and clearings.

[edit] Behaviour

The diet includes spiders and their eggs, beetles, caterpillars and other insects from outer twigs and foliage.

The nest is a small cup made from vegetable fibres. 2-3 brown-spotted white eggs are laid in May and June.

[edit] References

1. SACC as viewed on 2007-11-18: http://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCBaseline09.html

[edit] External Links