Greater wagtail-tyrant

Stigmatura budytoides

Photo by Paul Jones (Flickr)

Common name:
greater wagtail-tyrant (en); alegrinho-balança-rabo (pt); calandrite bergeronnette (fr); rabicano mayor (es); südlicher stelzentachurityrann (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Tyrannidae

Range:
This South American species occurs in two disjunct populations. The subspecies S.b. gracilis is found in eastern Brazil, in northern Bahia, Pernambuco and southern Piauí. The other three subspecies, S.b. budytoides, S.b. inzonata and S.b. flavocinerea, are found from central Bolivia and western Paraguay south to central Argentina as far south as Rio Negro.

Size:
These birds are 13-16 cm long and weigh 8,5-13 g.

Habitat:
The greater wagtail-tyrant is mostly found in dry scrublands, also using high-altitude scrublands, moist savannas and dry gallery forests. They are mainly present from sea level up to an altitude of 1.000 m, but can occur up to an altitude of 2.700 m.

Diet:
They forage among the foliage and occasionally on the ground, taking various insects.

Breeding:
In Argentina, these birds breed in October-February. The nest is an open cup made of plant fibres and rootlets, bonded with spiderwebs, usually placed in a small tree or scrub 1–2 m above the ground. There the female lays 2-3 eggs, which are incubated for 14-15 days. The chicks fledge 11-13 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is described as fairly common to common. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.