The Antioquia bristle tyrant is a Vulnerable species of passerine bird in the family Tyrannidae, the tyrant flycatchers. It is endemic to Colombia.
Region
Colombian Andes
Typical Environment
Occurs in premontane to montane humid forests, including cloud forest, forest edges, and well-vegetated ravines. It favors dense foliage in the midstory and canopy and will use secondary growth where some forest structure remains. The species often forages along forested slopes and stream corridors and shows some tolerance of lightly disturbed habitats. However, it is sensitive to extensive deforestation and fragmentation.
Altitude Range
1200–2200 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
A tiny, foliage-gleaning flycatcher restricted to the montane forests of Antioquia, Colombia. It often joins mixed-species flocks and is easiest to detect by its thin, high-pitched calls. Habitat loss and fragmentation in the Colombian Andes are the main threats. It was only relatively recently described, highlighting how Andean biodiversity is still being uncovered.
Temperament
furtive and active
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Typically found singly, in pairs, or as part of mixed-species flocks moving through the midstory. Pairs maintain small territories during breeding. Nests are thought to be mossy and pendant, placed in shaded, humid spots typical of bristle-tyrants.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Gives thin, high-pitched tseet notes and brief, delicate trills. Vocalizations are subtle and can be overlooked amid insect noise and other flock sounds.
Plumage
Olive-green upperparts with dusky wings showing pale yellowish wingbars; underparts yellow to yellowish-olive with a paler throat. The head is grayish-olive with a subtle pale supercilium and a neat, delicate appearance. Fine rictal bristles at the bill base are characteristic of bristle-tyrants.
Diet
Primarily small arthropods, including insects and their larvae, gleaned from leaf surfaces and fine twigs. It makes short sallies to snatch prey and often inspects clusters of leaves and hanging moss. Foraging is deliberate but continuous, often in association with mixed-species flocks that flush insects.
Preferred Environment
Feeds in the midstory to canopy of humid montane forest, especially along edges, light gaps, and near streams. It also uses secondary growth with sufficient vertical structure and epiphytes.
