The Acre tody-tyrant is a species of bird in the family Tyrannidae, the tyrant flycatchers. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, and Peru.
Region
Southwestern Amazon Basin
Typical Environment
Occurs in lowland Amazonian rainforest, closely associated with dense bamboo (especially Guadua) stands within terra firme forests and along river edges. It frequents the shaded understory and thickets where visibility is limited. The species also uses bamboo in secondary growth and forest edges, provided cover remains dense. It avoids open areas and heavily fragmented habitats. Records are from western Brazil (Acre), adjacent eastern Peru, and northern Bolivia.
Altitude Range
100–400 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The Acre tody-tyrant is a tiny tyrant flycatcher specialized in dense bamboo thickets of the southwestern Amazon. It was described to science only recently and is often overlooked due to its secretive habits. Its distribution spans the tri-border region of Brazil, Peru, and Bolivia, especially where Guadua bamboo is abundant. Because it is so habitat-specific, it can be sensitive to changes in bamboo availability.
Temperament
solitary and skulking
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Usually found alone or in pairs, moving quietly through dense bamboo interiors. It may join mixed-species understory flocks along bamboo edges. Nesting is presumed to be low in dense vegetation, with both parents likely involved in care. Territorial during the breeding period.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Voice consists of thin, high-pitched notes and brief trills given from concealed perches. Phrases are repeated at intervals and can be easily overlooked amid insect noise. Call notes are sharp and sibilant.
Plumage
Small, compact flycatcher with olive-green upperparts and yellowish to buff underparts, often slightly paler on the throat. Wings are dusky with faint pale edging forming subtle wingbars. The tail is short and the bill is short and broad, suited for snatching small insects.
Diet
Feeds mainly on small arthropods such as flies, beetles, and spiders. It gleans prey from bamboo culms and leaves and makes short sallies to snatch flying insects. Foraging is methodical and close to cover, often at low to mid understory heights. It rarely ventures into open spaces.
Preferred Environment
Forages within dense bamboo thickets, particularly in Guadua stands, along forest edges and riverine corridors. Uses shaded understory microhabitats where prey is abundant and cover is continuous.
