Flycatchers

Grey-capped Flycatchers

Grey-capped Flycatchers (Myiozetetes granadensis)

The Grey-capped Flycatchers (Myiozetetes granadensis) are endemic to eastern Honduras ranging south to northwestern Peru, northern Bolivia, and western Brazil. They inhabit cultivated land, pasture, and open woodland with some trees.

Grey-capped Flycatchers Perched on a Wire
Grey-capped Flycatchers Perched on a Wire

Nesting / Breeding:

The breeding season usually starts in February and goes on until June.

The female builds the nest in a bush, tree or on a building – often near or over water. The nest is a large roofed structure of stems and straw. It is usually situated near a wasp, bee or ant nest – which offers protection to the nest.

They may also use the nest of another tyrant flycatcher, such as the similar Social Flycatcher (Myiozetetes similis).

The average clutch consists of two to four brown or lilac-blotched dull white eggs.

Description:

The adult Grey-capped Flycatcher averages 16.5-18 cm (6.5 – 7 inches) in length and weighs s 26-30 g (0.9 – 1.06 oz).

The adult’s head is grey with a short weak eyestripe and, in the male, a concealed red to reddish-orange crown stripe. The upper plumage is olive-brown. The throat is white. The wings and tail are brown with a faint rufous fringe. The under plumage is yellow.

Grey-capped Flycatchers Resting on a Cable Wire
Grey-capped Flycatchers Resting on a Cable Wire

Immature birds lack the crown stripe of the adult and have chestnut fringes to the wing and tail feathers.

Similar Species: The Grey-capped Flycatcher resembles the Social Flycatcher, with whom it shares much of its range. It is most easily differentiated from the Social Flycatcher by the latter’s strong black-and-white head pattern.

Diet / Feeding

Grey-capped Flycatchers mostly feed on insects often caught in flight. They may also hover to take berries.

Call / Vocalization:

The call is a sharp nasal kip and the dawn song is a kip, kip, kip, k’beer.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Gordon Ramel

Gordon is an ecologist with two degrees from Exeter University. He's also a teacher, a poet and the owner of 1,152 books. Oh - and he wrote this website.

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