Southern Bentbill
Oncostoma olivaceum
The Southern Bentbill (Oncostoma olivaceum) is a uncommon tyrant flycatcher found in 2 countries, weighing about 7 g. The southern bentbill is a species of bird in the family Tyrannidae, the tyrant flycatchers.
About the Southern Bentbill
The southern bentbill is a species of bird in the family Tyrannidae, the tyrant flycatchers. It is found in Colombia and Panama.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The southern bentbill is about 9 cm (3.5 in) long and weighs about 6 to 7 g (0.21 to 0.25 oz). It has a distinctive fairly thick downcurved bill. The sexes have the same plumage. Adults have a mostly olive head with a whitish area above the lores. Their back, rump, and uppertail coverts are olive. Their wings are dusky with lemon yellow edges on the flight feathers and greenish yellow tips on the coverts; the latter show as two indistinct wing bars. Their tail is dusky olive. Voice: The southern bentbill's call is a "uttural insect-like or toad-like trill, 'grrrrrrr' " that sometimes begins with a short note yielding "pt-trrrrrrrr". Another author says that a "oft mechanical errreet heard often".
What the Southern Bentbill sounds like
Where it lives
When to see it
The Southern Bentbill can be seen all year round, with peak activity in March. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Southern Bentbill?
- The southern bentbill is about 9 cm (3.5 in) long and weighs about 6 to 7 g (0.21 to 0.25 oz). Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Southern Bentbill?
- The Southern Bentbill is a tiny sized bird weighing about 7 g.
- Where can you see a Southern Bentbill?
- The Southern Bentbill occurs in 2 countries, including Panama and Colombia.
- What does a Southern Bentbill sound like?
- You can listen to a field recording of the Southern Bentbill on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to a Southern Bentbill?
- The Southern Bentbill is most easily confused with the Northern Bentbill.
- Is the Southern Bentbill endangered?
- The Southern Bentbill is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Southern Bentbill 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.
Play BeakBrainEvery photo and recording on this page is credited to its author under the licence shown. Spotted a problem with this page, or have a better photo? Contribute.