Bird Guide

Black-headed Tody-Flycatcher vs Spotted Tody-Flycatcher

Black-headed Tody-Flycatcher (Todirostrum nigriceps)

Black-headed Tody-Flycatcher

Todirostrum nigriceps

Tiny7 gForest

The black-headed tody flycatcher is a small bird with a glossy black head and a white throat. The black coloring continues down the sides of the neck. It has bright yellow underparts and olive-yellow upperparts. The wings are black with two yellow wingbars and yellow streaking and the tail is short and black. Its head is relatively large, as is its straight black bill. It has dark irises and no eye-rings. Its legs are blueish-gray. The females and males have the same coloring. Adults are between 8–10.2 cm long and weigh 6–6.5 g. Voice: This species' call is a single high-pitched "peep". Its song is a series of 5 to 8 high-pitched "jyip" notes that are quickly repeated. They start evenly spaced and accelerate slightly at the end, increasing in pitch slightly. It often calls repeatedly, which can be easily confused with their song. The chirps also sound insect-like. Listen to the call Listen to the song

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Black-headed Tody-Flycatcher
Recorded by Niels Krabbe · Song · Esmeraldas: Canandé, Ecuador · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Andrew Hrycyna · CC BY 4.0
Spotted Tody-Flycatcher (Todirostrum maculatum)

Spotted Tody-Flycatcher

Todirostrum maculatum

Tiny7 gForest

The spotted tody-flycatcher is 8.9 to 10.2 cm (3.5 to 4.0 in) long and weighs 6.4 to 8.3 g (0.23 to 0.29 oz). The sexes have the same plumage. Adults of the nominate subspecies T. m. maculatum have a mostly gray head with a small white spot above the lores and some black and white streaks on the crown. Their back, rump, and uppertail coverts are olive. Their wings are brownish black with yellow edges on the flight feathers and yellowish edges and tips on the coverts; the last sometimes show as pale wing bars.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Spotted Tody-Flycatcher
Recorded by Niels Krabbe · Call · Orellana: river island at Añangu, Ecuador · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Charlotte Kirchner · CC BY 4.0

Where you might meet both

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Black-headed Tody-Flycatcher and Spotted Tody-Flycatcher.