Bird Guide

Eared Pygmy Tyrant vs Short-tailed Pygmy Tyrant

Eared Pygmy Tyrant (Myiornis auricularis)

Eared Pygmy Tyrant

Myiornis auricularis

Tiny5 gForest

The eared pygmy tyrant is about 7 to 9 cm (2.8 to 3.5 in) long and weighs about 5 g (0.18 oz). It is a very small, large-headed bird with a dramatic facial pattern. The sexes have the same plumage. Adults of the nominate subspecies have a buffish cinnamon area surrounding the eye, whitish ear coverts with a black crescent behind them, and a black patch below the eye. Their crown is bright olive with a brown tinge, their nape and neck gray, and their back and rump bright olive. Voice: The eared pygmy tyrant's song is a "very high, short, clear trill, often preceded by lower, short 'wit', together as 'wit-trruh' ". Its call is "high, stressed 'pic' notes".

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Ron Knight from Seaford, East Sussex, United Kingdom · CC BY 2.0
Short-tailed Pygmy Tyrant (Myiornis ecaudatus)

Short-tailed Pygmy Tyrant

Myiornis ecaudatus

Tiny5 gForest

The short-tailed pygmy tyrant is 6 to 7 cm (2.4 to 2.8 in) long and weighs about 4.2 g (0.15 oz). It is the smallest passerine on Earth. The sexes have the same plumage. Adults of the nominate subspecies have a mostly dark gray head with blackish lores, a prominent white spot above the lores, and a white eye-ring; the last two give a spectacled appearance. Their back, rump, and uppertail coverts are bright olive green. Their wings are dusky with bright olive edges on the flight feathers and tips on the coverts; the latter show as two faint wing bars. Voice: Sources compare the short-tailed pygmy tyrant's vocalizations to sounds made by insects and frogs. The most common is "a soft trilled, purr-like call, sometimes leading into long series of short, squeaky "creek" notes beginning slowly and accelerating, 'cre'e'e'e'e', k'e'e'e'e' ". Another rendition is teeeee-tuuuuur. Its calls include "high, rising treet or peet?

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Vincent A. Vos · CC BY 4.0

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Eared Pygmy Tyrant and Short-tailed Pygmy Tyrant.