Greyish Mourner

Rhytipterna simplex

Tyrant Flycatchers and Allies · Passeriformes · Rare

The Greyish Mourner (Rhytipterna simplex) is a rare tyrant flycatcher found in 9 countries, weighing about 32 g. The greyish mourner is a species of bird in the family Tyrannidae, the tyrant flycatchers.

Least ConcernRareEats invertebratesforest32 g

About the Greyish Mourner

The greyish mourner is a species of bird in the family Tyrannidae, the tyrant flycatchers. It is found in every mainland South American country except Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

How to identify it

The greyish mourner is 19.5 to 20.5 cm (7.7 to 8.1 in) long and weighs 33 to 38 g (1.2 to 1.3 oz). Males of the nominate subspecies have a gray head with a hint of a crest at the rear of the crown. Their upperparts, wings, and tail are gray with a tinge of brown on the wings and tail. Their throat is light gray and their underparts slightly darker gray but lighter than the upperparts; their belly has a slight yellowish green tinge. Females are very similar with the addition of fulvous edges on the wing and tail feathers. Subspecies R. s. Voice: The greyish mourner's song is "varied, in tempo; normally a rising series of sharp ih notes, ending in some loud, explosive Itch notes". The notes may be separate, repeated as a rattle, or decelerating, and sometimes the last note is omitted. It also makes "a slowly ascending series of clear, whistled whew notes".

What the Greyish Mourner sounds like

Recording: Niels Krabbe · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via xeno-canto
Recording: Niels Krabbe · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via xeno-canto

Where it lives

When to see it

Best months: January, February, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December, with peak activity in July. It is a variable species across most of its range.

Easily confused with

Quick questions

How do you identify a Greyish Mourner?
The greyish mourner is 19.5 to 20.5 cm (7.7 to 8.1 in) long and weighs 33 to 38 g (1.2 to 1.3 oz). Full identification notes are on this page.
How big is a Greyish Mourner?
The Greyish Mourner is a small sized bird weighing about 32 g.
Where can you see a Greyish Mourner?
The Greyish Mourner occurs in 9 countries, including Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador and Guyana.
What does a Greyish Mourner sound like?
You can listen to 2 field recordings of the Greyish Mourner on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
What birds look similar to a Greyish Mourner?
The Greyish Mourner is most easily confused with the Rufous Mourner and the Pale-bellied Mourner.
Is the Greyish Mourner endangered?
The Greyish Mourner is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Learn the Greyish Mourner for real

BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.

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