Large Elaenia
Elaenia spectabilis
The Large Elaenia (Elaenia spectabilis) is a uncommon tyrant flycatcher found in 8 countries, weighing about 27 g. The large elaenia is a species of bird in subfamily Elaeniinae of family Tyrannidae, the tyrant flycatchers.
About the Large Elaenia
The large elaenia is a species of bird in subfamily Elaeniinae of family Tyrannidae, the tyrant flycatchers. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The large elaenia is 16.5 to 18 cm (6.5 to 7.1 in) long and weighs 20 to 35 g (0.71 to 1.2 oz). It is a large elaenia with a small crest. The sexes have the same plumage. Adults have a mostly olive-brown head with a minimal or no white stripe in the middle of the crest. Their upperparts are dark grayish olive. Their wings are dusky with white tips on the coverts that show as three wing bars. Their tail is dusky. Their throat is grayish, their breast dark olive-gray, and their belly and undertail undertail coverts yellow. Voice: The large elaenia's dawn song is "a shrill, repetitious 'twee-wee-tweet' ". Its calls include "a soft 'cleeur' or 'wheeo' ", "wheer", and "cheer".
What the Large Elaenia sounds like
Where it lives
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, September, October, November, December, with peak activity in October. It is a variable species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Large Elaenia?
- The large elaenia is 16.5 to 18 cm (6.5 to 7.1 in) long and weighs 20 to 35 g (0.71 to 1.2 oz). Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Large Elaenia?
- The Large Elaenia is a small sized bird weighing about 27 g.
- Where can you see a Large Elaenia?
- The Large Elaenia occurs in 8 countries, including Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Peru and Bolivia.
- What does a Large Elaenia sound like?
- You can listen to 2 field recordings of the Large Elaenia on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to a Large Elaenia?
- The Large Elaenia is most easily confused with the Lesser Elaenia, the Sierran Elaenia and the Plain-crested Elaenia.
- Is the Large Elaenia endangered?
- The Large Elaenia is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Large Elaenia 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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