Mottle-backed Elaenia
Elaenia gigas
The Mottle-backed Elaenia (Elaenia gigas) is a rare tyrant flycatcher found in 4 countries, weighing about 31 g. The mottle-backed elaenia is a species of bird in subfamily Elaeniinae of family Tyrannidae, the tyrant flycatchers.
About the Mottle-backed Elaenia
The mottle-backed elaenia is a species of bird in subfamily Elaeniinae of family Tyrannidae, the tyrant flycatchers. It is found in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The mottle-backed elaenia is 17.5 to 18.5 cm (6.9 to 7.3 in) long. It is a large elaenia with a prominent split crest that can look like horns. The sexes have the same plumage. Adults have an olive-brown head with lighter cheeks, a faint whitish eyering, and a large white patch on the crown. Their upperparts are olive-brown with paler green-olive edges on the back feathers that give a mottled or streaked appearance. Their wings are mostly dusky; the flight feathers have whitish edges and the tips of the coverts are whitish. The latter show as two bars on the closed wing. Their tail is dusky. Voice: The mottle-backed elaenia's dawn song is " 'wurdit' or 'purdip' given repeatedly from top of low tree or bush". Its calls include "a martin-like 'direet' and a shrill 'pert-chéér' ".
What the Mottle-backed Elaenia sounds like
Where it lives
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, July, August, 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 Mottle-backed Elaenia?
- The mottle-backed elaenia is 17.5 to 18.5 cm (6.9 to 7.3 in) long. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Mottle-backed Elaenia?
- The Mottle-backed Elaenia is a small sized bird weighing about 31 g.
- Where can you see a Mottle-backed Elaenia?
- The Mottle-backed Elaenia occurs in 4 countries, including Ecuador, Peru, Colombia and Bolivia.
- What does a Mottle-backed Elaenia sound like?
- You can listen to 3 field recordings of the Mottle-backed Elaenia on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to a Mottle-backed Elaenia?
- The Mottle-backed Elaenia is most easily confused with the Highland Elaenia, the Blue Mountain Elaenia and the Olivaceous Elaenia.
- Is the Mottle-backed Elaenia endangered?
- The Mottle-backed Elaenia is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Mottle-backed 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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