Birds of Colombia

    PASSERIFORMES: Tyrannidae (Tyrant Flycatchers, Calyptura)  
Genus: Elaenia (15 species, 22 worldwide)


White-crested Elaenia
White-crested Elaenia (Elaenia albiceps griseigularis)
Ecuador  
   
Photograph by George Cruz (San Jorge Eco-Lodges)   © All Rights Reserved.

The small White-crested Elaenia no longer includes the migratory subspecies chilensis, now called the Chilean Elaenia, and is only found in the Andes from south Colombia to north Bolivia and Chile. It is browner (less green) than the Chilean Elaenia, but the species normally do not overlap.

Coopmans's Elaenia
Coopmans's Elaenia (Elaenia brachyptera)
Reserva La Nutria, Nariño, Colombia  
   
Photograph by Jorge Muñoz   © All Rights Reserved.

A small elaenia most similar to the Sierran Elaenia with mostly vocal and DNA differences. Found from 700-2500 m. (HBW).

Chilean Elaenia
Chilean Elaenia (Elaenia chilensis)
Garibaldi Pass, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina  
   
Photograph by Tropical Birding (Nick Athanas)   © All Rights Reserved.

A small elaenia formerly considered a subspecies of the White-crested Elaenia. The Chilean Elaenia is the migratory version, and is found in the austral summer from south Bolivia to Tierra del Fuego. It migrates as far north as southeast Colombia and northeast Brazil (HBW).

Lesser Elaenia
Lesser Elaenia (Elaenia chiriquensis albivertex)
Altiplano Leste, Brasilia, Brazil  
   
Photograph by Rodrigo Conte   © All Rights Reserved.

Lesser Elaenia
Lesser Elaenia (Elaenia chiriquensis albivertex)
Copacabana, Antioquia, Colombia  
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

Very similar to the Yellow-bellied Elaenia, but a bit smaller, a bit less yellow, and less crested. Vocal differences. Found up to 2000m. in open areas and edges of farms, often close to ground.

Plain-crested Elaenia
Plain-crested Elaenia (Elaenia cristata cristata)
Santana do Riacho, Minas Gerais, Brazil  
   
Photograph by João Sérgio Barros F. de Souza   © All Rights Reserved.

Note dark triangular crest and savanna habitat.

Yellow-bellied Elaenia
Yellow-bellied Elaenia (Elaenia flavogaster flavogaster)
Copacabana, Antioquia, Colombia
  Although this individual is less yellow than others, it has a larger crest than would a Lesser Elaenia.
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

Usually the most common elaenia. Found in secondary/degraded forest.
On nest.

Mountain Elaenia
Mountain Elaenia (Elaenia frantzii pudica)
San Sebastian Reserve, Envigado, Antioquia, Colombia
  Note lack of crest.
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

An uncrested small elaenia found from 1500 to 3200 meters, and sometimes common.
From back.

Mottle-backed Elaenia
Mottle-backed Elaenia (Elaenia gigas)
Puerto Asis, Colombia  
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

Double-crest makes it easy to identify.

Caribbean Elaenia
Caribbean Elaenia (Elaenia martinica cinerescens)
Botanical Gardens, Isla San Andres, Colombia  
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

Often found around fruit. In Colombia found on Isla San Andres.

Sierran Elaenia
Sierran Elaenia (Elaenia pallatangae pallatangae)
Sibundoy, Colombia  
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

View of crest.

Small-billed Elaenia
Small-billed Elaenia (Elaenia parvirostris)
Barlovento, Venezuela  
   
Photograph by Barlovento from Venezuela     Copyright and usage info

Small-billed Elaenia
Small-billed Elaenia (Elaenia parvirostris)
Guayaramerin, Beni, Bolivia
  Note complete eye ring.
   
Photograph by Joe Tobias   © All Rights Reserved.

Note small size, hidden white crown patch, three white wing bars, well defined white eye ring, and pink base to lower mandible, and lack of yellow all around. Austral migrant to northern half of South America. The similar Chilean Elaenia does not have a wing bar on lesser wing coverts (HBW).

Brownish Elaenia
Brownish Elaenia (Elaenia pelzelni)
Puerto Nariño, Amazonas, Colombia  
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

Note red bill with black tip, prominent eye-ring, and lack of visible crest. Found in semi-open areas along the big Amazon rivers.

Rufous-crowned Elaenia
Rufous-crowned Elaenia (Elaenia ruficeps)
Inírida, Guainía, Colombia  
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

Found in dry scrub, outside of true forest, in the sand belt part of the Amazon.

Large Elaenia
Large Elaenia (Elaenia spectabilis)
Leticia, Colombia  
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

A large elaenia that migrates into the Amazon basin during the Austral winter. Less crested than the otherwise similar but slightly smaller Yellow-bellied Elaenia. Middle wing bar forms a row of U's.

Slaty Elaenia
Slaty Elaenia (Elaenia strepera)
Rio Sosa, Tucumán, Argentina  
   
Photograph by Tropical Birding (Nick Athanas)   © All Rights Reserved.

A species from Argentina and Bolivia that can migrate all the way to Venezuela.


© Tom Friedel - All Rights Reserved, except for images and data otherwise noted.       Colombia       Panama       Ecuador       Costa Rica       Mexico
Experimental sites:       Peru       Venezuela       The World       Brazil       Bolivia
Really Experimental sites:       Guyana       Cuba