- Fluvicola nengeta
Identification
14·5–15 cm (5¾-6 in)
- White overall plumage
- Black eye-stripe and wings
- White-tipped black tail
- Brownish-grey tinge on back
- Dark iris
The plumage pattern shows an interesting example of convergent evolution in its similarity to some Eurasian wheatears.
Distribution
South America: found in Ecuador, Peru and Brazil
Taxonomy
Subspecies
Two subspecies are accepted[1]:
- F. n. atripennis:
- F. n. nengeta:
- Eastern Brazil (Maranhao to Minas Gerais and north-eastern São Paulo)
The two subspecies are separated by over 3,500 km, and may be better treated as separate species[2].
Habitat
Lowland marshy and shrubby areas near water, and rice fields.
Behaviour
Diet
Their main diet consists of insects which they forage for on the ground. They also run across floating vegetation.
Breeding
There is very little known. The male displays by bobbing and spreading his tail.
References
- Gill, F and D Donsker (Eds). 2015. IOC World Bird Names (version 5.2). Available at http://www.worldbirdnames.org/.
- Del Hoyo, J, A Elliot, and D Christie, eds. 2004. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 9: Cotingas to Pipits and Wagtails. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8487334696
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2018. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2018. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved October 2018)
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2021) Masked Water Tyrant. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 29 April 2021 from https://www.birdforum.net/wiki/Masked_Water_Tyrant
