Colombia, flycatcher (1 Viewer)

[TomFriedel]

Magdalena, 1000m. When I saw this bird I thought it was a White-fronted Tyrannulet (Rough-legged), and except for not having a two color bill the ID looks good. But that bird is not found anywhere near Magdalena. Then I thought Forest Elaenia, but another photo shows no white crest. Everyone I showed the photo to has said Yellow-olive Flatbill, 100%, but the bill looks all black, not wide, the crown is olive, not grey. The wingbars are close but don't look quite right, and there looks like there is too much white in the face. But it has to be something, so I am not sure what to think.
thanks in advance again,

 

[Fritz73]

Just a comment to White-fronted Tyrannulet, subspecies wetmorei is found on the Santa Marta mountains.
But lets wait for others opinions to ID this birds.
Nice photo

 

[Andy Adcock]

Looking at W

Magdalena, 1000m. When I saw this bird I thought it was a White-fronted Tyrannulet (Rough-legged), and except for not having a two color bill the ID looks good. But that bird is not found anywhere near Magdalena. Then I thought Forest Elaenia, but another photo shows no white crest. Everyone I showed the photo to has said Yellow-olive Flatbill, 100%, but the bill looks all black, not wide, the crown is olive, not grey. The wingbars are close but don't look quite right, and there looks like there is too much white in the face. But it has to be something, so I am not sure what to think.
thanks in advance again,

W-f T in the new Lynx guide, it's depicted with a solid, grey, crown and nape too.

 

[TomFriedel]

Looking at W


W-f T in the new Lynx guide, it's depicted with a solid, grey, crown and nape too.

In all three species (especially yellow-olive) in photos the head looks grey sometimes and yellow-olive sometimes. In this photo the legs are not 'rough' although that might be hard to say 100%. The White-fronted (Rough-legged) has bumpy legs near the feet.

 

[Andy Adcock]

It's such a good shot, why can't we figure it out!

 

[TomFriedel]

Here is another photo. Is this the bill of a Tolmomyias? It looks a bit wide but I am not convinced and the lower mandible is not white. And the bright white marks don't seem right either. But again, it has to be something, so Yellow-Olive Flatbill still seems most likely to me.

 

[Andy Adcock]

Here is another photo. Is this the bill of a Tolmomyias? It looks a bit wide but I am not convinced and the lower mandible is not white. And the bright white marks don't seem right either. But again, it has to be something, so Yellow-Olive Flatbill still seems most likely to me.

That is what I thought, it's slightly hooked as well, I can't make it fit anything, exactly, perhaps a racial difference?

 

[Thibaud]

I agree this doesn't look like a Tolmomyias. My money is on Phyllomyias as well.
Looking at the Colombian species, it's not Black-capped, Ashy-headed, Plumbeous-crowned or Tawny-rumped either.
Assuming it is indeed a Phyllomyias, that only leaves Rough-legged (WF) and Sooty-headed,
Now, Rough-legged is rare, and I wouldn't be surprised if its range weren't fully known. Still, you would expect to see the "bumpy" legs, especially on the second photo, and there's also the issue of the all black bill, as well as the eyes, which are often strikingly red in Andean birds.
The other candidate is Sooty-headed, which is fairly common in Magdalena. Your bird has awfully well-marked wing bars for that species, and I'd be happier with that ID if your bird's crown weren't so greenish.
Still, it doesn't look that different from something like this : https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/233499451

Then again, I hate Tolmomyias with a passion, and I wouldn't be surprised if there turns out to be a member of the Yellow-Olive complex that looks just like your bird!

 

[THE_FERN]

I agree this doesn't look like a Tolmomyias. My money is on Phyllomyias as well.
Looking at the Colombian species, it's not Black-capped, Ashy-headed, Plumbeous-crowned or Tawny-rumped either.
Assuming it is indeed a Phyllomyias, that only leaves Rough-legged (WF) and Sooty-headed,
Now, Rough-legged is rare, and I wouldn't be surprised if its range weren't fully known. Still, you would expect to see the "bumpy" legs, especially on the second photo, and there's also the issue of the all black bill, as well as the eyes, which are often strikingly red in Andean birds.
The other candidate is Sooty-headed, which is fairly common in Magdalena. Your bird has awfully well-marked wing bars for that species, and I'd be happier with that ID if your bird's crown weren't so greenish.
Still, it doesn't look that different from something like this : https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/233499451

Then again, I hate Tolmomyias with a passion, and I wouldn't be surprised if there turns out to be a member of the Yellow-Olive complex that looks just like your bird!

Well I've not ventured an opinion coz I couldn't form a sensible view. My best initial guess was sulphur-bellied but that doesn't occur there, and seeing the photos on a large screen made me think the wing bars were decidedly yellow. I think the problem with sooty-headed is those prominent wing bars. I've seen no photos of sooty-headed which show them; just slightly paler fringes. I also decided the facial pattern didn't quite match sooty-headed. I suppose it must be yellow-olive but that all black bill, its shape and the precise details of the head pattern all make me believe it's not. So no clear idea, then...

 

[njlarsen]

I do not see this as a flatbill, but apart from that: these Tyrannulets are invented to torture you.

Niels

 

[TomFriedel]

I do not see this as a flatbill, but apart from that: these Tyrannulets are invented to torture you.

Niels

Fabian Schneider suggested Pale-tipped Inezia. I hadn't considered this, and the eye color is wrong, but otherwise it actually looks like a good match.

 

[THE_FERN]

Fabian Schneider suggested Pale-tipped Inezia. I hadn't considered this, and the eye color is wrong, but otherwise it actually looks like a good match.

Hmm. Not a bad suggestion. I think we can see the whitish outer tail feathers. Ssp caudata = below pale, more sulphur yellow; eyes brown (Birds of Northern S. America). I'm unclear from the references I have whether we might find it there.

 

[Thibaud]

I'd forgotten all about Inezias! That does look like a good candidate.

 

[TomFriedel]

OK, having said that, Jerome Fischer just confidently stated the bird is a Yellow Tyrannulet, subspecies leucophyrs, that has a white short supercilium. The problem with the Inezia is there are no records anywhere near San Rafael, Antioquia. The Yellow Tyrannulet has eBird records all over the place, although I imagine many are wrong. I had never seen a Yellow Tyrannulet in Colombia, and was not aware of this subspecies, but now think this is the most likely suggestion so far.

 

[THE_FERN]

[My favourite yellow tyrannulet subspecies: https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/1...0.1605289793.1618172705-1465016617.1534520986
. There's no mechanism for disputing ids is there..?]

 

[njlarsen]

If you are an active enough member of Ebird you can flag up an id from the checklist. I, unfortunately, have spent too much time working and in lockdown.

Niels

 

[njlarsen]

I have three books supposed to mention/show Yellow Tyrannulet, subspecies leucophyrs. None shows a bird with this much make believe of supercilium meeting above the bill, including the two that actually depict this subspecies. I am not saying the statement is wrong, but if it is not, then the books are. However, it might be worth comparing with this image from Macaulay: https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/3...6.2100851166.1618253152-1598864267.1582678996

Niels

 

[njlarsen]

The drawing of leucophrys in BotW shows supercilium that more or less meets above the bill and which is whitish in front becoming yellowish towards the rear. This source agree with others on whitish throat for this form.

Niels

 

[TomFriedel]

The drawing of leucophrys in BotW shows supercilium that more or less meets above the bill and which is whitish in front becoming yellowish towards the rear. This source agree with others on whitish throat for this form.

Niels

In my photo the throat looks more yellowish than whitish, but the supercilium looks consistent to me with the image link.

 

[AveryBartels]

OK, having said that, Jerome Fischer just confidently stated the bird is a Yellow Tyrannulet, subspecies leucophyrs, that has a white short supercilium. The problem with the Inezia is there are no records anywhere near San Rafael, Antioquia. The Yellow Tyrannulet has eBird records all over the place, although I imagine many are wrong. I had never seen a Yellow Tyrannulet in Colombia, and was not aware of this subspecies, but now think this is the most likely suggestion so far.

As Jerome Fischer concluded, this is Yellow Tyrannulet. They are rather sparse in Colombia and often associated with Guaduas bamboo (eg at the El Paujil Proaves Reserve). Looking through the first couple dozen images of this species on eBird (filtered for Colombia), it appears as if at least 50% of the images are incorrectly identified so yes, I think it it safe to assume that a lot of the records are erroneous. One more task to add to my list for Colombia ebird review