Smoky Bush Tyrant

Myiotheretes fumigatus

Tyrant Flycatchers and Allies · Passeriformes · Rare

The Smoky Bush Tyrant (Myiotheretes fumigatus) is a rare tyrant flycatcher found in 4 countries, weighing about 33 g. The smoky bush tyrant is a species of bird in the family Tyrannidae, the tyrant flycatchers.

Least ConcernRareEats invertebratesforestcup nest33 g

About the Smoky Bush Tyrant

The smoky bush tyrant is a species of bird in the family Tyrannidae, the tyrant flycatchers. It is found in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela.

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

How to identify it

The smoky bush tyrant is 18 to 20.5 cm (7.1 to 8.1 in) long. The sexes have the same plumage, which is somewhat reminiscent of a thrush's. Adults of the nominate subspecies M. f. fumigatus have a thin white supercilium on an otherwise dark smoky brown face. Their upperparts are also dark smoky brown. Their wings are mostly blackish with buffy edges on the coverts and cinnamon bases to the inner webs of the flight feathers; the latter show prominently in flight. Their underwing coverts are cinnamon which also shows in flight. Voice: The smoky bush tyrant's dawn song in Venezuela is described as "a long-sustained but halting of clear, whistled notes, cheea, cheea, cheea, chuEE" or alternated "3- and 4-note phrases, chura, chura, chEEea. chura, chura, chura, cheEEea". It also makes "a soft downslurred whistle, peeeee a soft, 3-noted, slurred whistle, falling then rising".

What the Smoky Bush Tyrant sounds like

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

The Smoky Bush Tyrant can be seen all year round, with peak activity in November. It is a resident species across most of its range.

Easily confused with

Quick questions

How do you identify a Smoky Bush Tyrant?
The smoky bush tyrant is 18 to 20.5 cm (7.1 to 8.1 in) long. Full identification notes are on this page.
How big is a Smoky Bush Tyrant?
The Smoky Bush Tyrant is a small sized bird weighing about 33 g.
Where can you see a Smoky Bush Tyrant?
The Smoky Bush Tyrant occurs in 4 countries, including Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela.
What does a Smoky Bush Tyrant sound like?
You can listen to 3 field recordings of the Smoky Bush Tyrant on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
What birds look similar to a Smoky Bush Tyrant?
The Smoky Bush Tyrant is most easily confused with the Santa Marta Bush Tyrant, the Rufous-bellied Bush Tyrant and the Streak-throated Bush Tyrant.
Is the Smoky Bush Tyrant endangered?
The Smoky Bush Tyrant is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Learn the Smoky Bush 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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