White-throated spadebill

Platyrinchus mystaceus

Photo by Dario Sanches (Flickr)

Common name:
white-throated spadebill (en); patinho (pt); platyrhynque à moustaches (fr); picoplano bigotudo (es); gelbscheitel-breitschnabeltyrann (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Tyrannidae

Range:
This species is found from Costa Rica south to central Bolivia, Paraguay, southern Brazil and extreme north-eastern Argentina, only being present east of the Andes mountain chain. They are mostly absent from the Amazon river basin.

Size:
These birds are 9,5-10 cm long and weigh 9-10 g.

Habitat:
The white-throated spadebill is mostly found in moist tropical forests, also using dry tropical forests, scrublands and dense second growths near forest edges. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 2.150 m.

Diet:
They forage among the foliage taking small arthropods.

Breeding:
White-throated spadebills nest in a small, deep cup made of grass and plant fibres, usually placed in a fork in a sapling about 1 m above the ground. The female lays 2 yellowish-white eggs. There is no information regarding the incubation and fledgling periods.

Conservation:
IUCN status -  LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is described as fairly common. The population is suspected to be declining due to the effects of deforestation in the lowland parts of its range.