The Southern Beardless Tyrannulet, Camptostoma obsoletum, belongs to the tyrant flycatcher family.
Distribution and Habitat
Its range is Costa Rica through South America south to Paraguay, Bolivia, and Argentina in light forests and gardens with trees. The race C. o. venezuelae can only be found in only in Trinidad and Venezuela.They are active birds.
Breeding / Nesting:
In courtship, the crests are raised, the tail flicked, and an excited mixture of the TLEE call and a churring pee-chrrr-pee-chrrr is given. This species will readily mob the Ferruginous Pygmy Owl.
They build a domed nest by a tree fork using plant fibre or leaves leaving a side entrance. They usually prefer to situate their nest near a wasp nest which offers some protection from predators.
Their typical clutch includes two white eggs, which are marked with rufous and lilac mostly at the larger end, which the female incubates for 14 to 15 days. The young fledge after about 17 days.
Description:
Size: Length: 10.2 cm long … Weighs: 7.5g
Coloration: Head is dark brown, with an erectile crest and pale supercilium (line above eye). The upperparts are grey-green becoming paler on the rump. The wings are brown with yellow feather-edging and two whitish wing bars. The tail is brown, the throat grey, the breast yellowish, and the abdomen yellow. The bill is pinkish.
Males and females look alike, and this species always appears brighter, especially with regard to the wing bars, than the closely related Northern Beardless Tyrannulet, C. imberbe, with which it was once considered conspecific (of, or belonging to, the same species). However, the two forms overlap without interbreeding in central Costa Rica.
Resembles: Yellow-bellied Elaenia.
Diet:
They feed on insects, spiders and berries.
Call / Song:
The call is a loud whistled TLEEE-tee-tee-tee.
