- Zimmerius vilissimus
Includes Mistletoe Tyrannulet, Venezuelan Tyrannulet
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.
Distribution
Southern Mexico to Panama, Colombia and Venezuela. Common and widespread.
Taxonomy
Five subspecies are recognized[1]:
- Z. v. vilissimus
- Z. v. parvus
- Z. v. improbus
- Z. v. tamae
- Z. v. petersi
Gill and Donsker (2013)[2] recognise Venezuelan Tyrannulet Zimmerius improbus (includes Z. i. improbus, Z. i. tamae, Z. i. petersi) and Mistletoe Tyrannulet Zimmerius parvus as separate species.
Habitat
Humid forests, second growth, plantations, pasture with trees and shady gardens.
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.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, B.L. Sullivan, C. L. Wood, and D. Roberson. 2013. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: Version 6.8., with updates to August 2013. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Gill, F and D Donsker (Eds). 2013. IOC World Bird Names (version 3.5). Available at http://www.worldbirdnames.org/.
