Birds of Ecuador

    PASSERIFORMES: Tyrannidae (Tyrant Flycatchers, Calyptura)  
Genus: Elaenia (11 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.

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.

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.

Highland Elaenia
Highland Elaenia (Elaenia obscura)
Lagunas de Yala, Yala, Argentina  
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

A slightly larger and a bit slow-moving elaenia. Note small head in relation to body, especially of the 'sordida' subspecies, sometimes split as the Small-headed Elaenia.

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).

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.


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