Slaty Elaenia
Elaenia strepera
The Slaty Elaenia (Elaenia strepera) is a rare tyrant flycatcher found in 5 countries, weighing about 19 g. The slaty elaenia is a species of bird in subfamily Elaeniinae of family Tyrannidae, the tyrant flycatchers.
About the Slaty Elaenia
The slaty elaenia is a species of bird in subfamily Elaeniinae of family Tyrannidae, the tyrant flycatchers. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Peru, and Venezuela, and as a vagrant in Ecuador and on Trinidad.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The slaty elaenia is 15 to 16 cm (5.9 to 6.3 in) long and weighs 18 to 20 g (0.63 to 0.71 oz). It is a small elaenia with a slight crest. Adult males have a slate-gray head with slightly paler cheeks, a thin white eyering, and a partially concealed white patch in the middle of the crown. Their upperparts are slate-gray. Their wings are mostly dusky gray; they are slightly paler on the edges of the flight feathers and the tips of the coverts. The latter show as two very faint bars on the closed wing. Their tail is dusky. Voice: The slaty elaenia is vocal only in its breeding range. Its primary call is "a dry, gravelly 'eh-eh-ehhhhhh' " that is unlike that of other elaenias; it has been likened to a frog's or locust's sounds.
Where it lives
When to see it
Best months: January, October, November, December, with peak activity in November. It is a summer visitor species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Slaty Elaenia?
- The slaty elaenia is 15 to 16 cm (5.9 to 6.3 in) long and weighs 18 to 20 g (0.63 to 0.71 oz). Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Slaty Elaenia?
- The Slaty Elaenia is a small sized bird weighing about 19 g.
- Where can you see a Slaty Elaenia?
- The Slaty Elaenia occurs in 5 countries, including Argentina, Bolivia and Venezuela.
- What birds look similar to a Slaty Elaenia?
- The Slaty Elaenia is most easily confused with the Rufous-crowned Elaenia, the Coopmans's Elaenia and the Brownish Elaenia.
- Is the Slaty Elaenia endangered?
- The Slaty Elaenia is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Slaty Elaenia for real
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