Plain-crested elaenia

Elaenia cristata

(Photo from Guia das Aves do Pantanal)

Common name:

plain-crested elaenia (en); guaracava-de-topete-uniforme (pt); élénie huppée (fr); fiofío crestado (es); braunscheitel-olivtyrann (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Passeriformes

Family Tyrannidae

Range:

This species is found in northern South America, occurring in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru,Suriname, and Venezuela.

Size:

The plain-crested elaenia is 15-15 cm long and weighs 19-21 g.

Habitat:

This species is found in dry savanna, subtropical or tropical dry scrubland, and subtropical or tropical seasonally wet or flooded lowland grassland. They are often found in savanna with scattered bushes and in cerrado.

Diet:

Plain-crested elaenias eat both insects and fruits.

Breeding:

These birds breed in September-December. The nest is a woven cup of fine materials, lined with wool, generally placed in bush or small tree up to 3 m above the ground. There the female lays 2 white eggs which may or may not have brown speckles. The eggs are incubated for 15-16 days and the chicks fledge 16-17 days after hatching.

Conservation:

IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)

This species has a very large breeding range and is described as fairly common throughout this range. The population is suspected to be in decline owing to fires, over-grazing by cattle, slash-and burn agriculture and selective logging, but overall this species is not considered threatened at present.