Long-tailed Tyrant
Colonia colonus
The Long-tailed Tyrant (Colonia colonus) is a uncommon tyrant flycatcher found in 15 countries, weighing about 18 g. The long-tailed tyrant is a species of bird in the family Tyrannidae, the tyrant flycatchers.
About the Long-tailed Tyrant
The long-tailed tyrant is a species of bird in the family Tyrannidae, the tyrant flycatchers. It is found in Central America from Honduras to Panama and in every mainland South American country except Chile and Uruguay.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
Male long-tailed tyrants are 23 to 28 cm (9.1 to 11 in) and females 18 to 22 cm (7.1 to 8.7 in) long; these measurements do not include the elongated central tail feathers. Adults weigh 15 to 18 g (0.53 to 0.63 oz). Adult males of the nominate subspecies C. c. colonus are mostly dull black with a white forehead and forecrown, a whitish rump, and a grayish black belly. Their central pair of tail feathers can extend up to 13 cm (5.1 in) beyond the others and have somewhat widened tips. They are often worn or broken. Voice: The long-tailed tyrant's a soft, rising, call variously written as "sweeE", "wheet", "sweee?", "weee?", and "weé-uw". Males sing "a longer twee-la, twee-la, twee-la", a "musical, humming druu" while whipping the tail, and a "sharp, sibilant chip in interactions".
What the Long-tailed Tyrant sounds like
Where it lives
When to see it
The Long-tailed Tyrant can be seen all year round, with peak activity in October. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Long-tailed Tyrant?
- Male long-tailed tyrants are 23 to 28 cm (9.1 to 11 in) and females 18 to 22 cm (7.1 to 8.7 in) long; these measurements do not include the elongated central tail feathers. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Long-tailed Tyrant?
- The Long-tailed Tyrant is a small sized bird weighing about 18 g.
- Where can you see a Long-tailed Tyrant?
- The Long-tailed Tyrant occurs in 15 countries, including Brazil, Costa Rica, Colombia, Panama and Peru.
- What does a Long-tailed Tyrant sound like?
- You can listen to 3 field recordings of the Long-tailed Tyrant on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to a Long-tailed Tyrant?
- The Long-tailed Tyrant is most easily confused with the Bran-colored Flycatcher, the Austral Negrito and the White-crested Tyrannulet.
- Is the Long-tailed Tyrant endangered?
- The Long-tailed Tyrant is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Long-tailed Tyrant 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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