The buff-throated tody-tyrant is a species of bird in the family Tyrannidae, the tyrant flycatchers. It is found in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.
Region
Andes Mountains
Typical Environment
Occurs on the east slope of the Andes from southern Colombia through Ecuador and Peru to northern Bolivia. Inhabits humid montane and foothill forests, especially in dense understory, vine tangles, and bamboo (Chusquea) stands. It also uses forest edges and older secondary growth with intact shrub layers. Often keeps to shaded lower and mid-understory, where it forages quietly and inconspicuously.
Altitude Range
700–2200 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
A tiny tyrant flycatcher of humid Andean foothill and montane forests, it is more often heard than seen, giving thin, high trills from dense understory. It frequently associates with bamboo thickets and can join mixed-species flocks. Its preference for dense cover makes brief, low sallies from shaded perches typical. Habitat loss is a concern, but it persists in secondary growth where understory remains intact.
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Typically found alone or in pairs within well-defined territories in the understory. May loosely accompany mixed-species flocks moving through dense vegetation. Nests are placed low to mid-level in dense cover; the pair cooperatively defends the nesting area. Courtship and pair bonds are subtle, with quiet calls and close-follow behavior.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Song is a series of very thin, high-pitched notes or trills, often delivered from concealed perches. Calls are sharp tseep or tss notes, repeated at intervals, especially at dawn and in overcast conditions.
Plumage
Compact, short-tailed flycatcher with olive-green upperparts and a contrasting buff to rufous-tinged throat, blending to dull yellowish underparts. Wings are dusky with two pale wingbars and narrow edging. Feathers appear soft and slightly fluffy in the throat and breast area, aiding the buff-toned look.
Diet
Feeds mainly on small insects and other arthropods, including flies, beetles, and spiders. It uses sally-gleaning and hover-gleaning to pick prey from leaves and twigs. Foraging is deliberate and methodical, with short dashes from low perches. It occasionally takes tiny prey from mossy trunks and bamboo culms.
Preferred Environment
Forages in dense understory and bamboo thickets within humid forest and along edges. Often remains within a few meters of the ground, working along shaded trails, ravines, and vine tangles.
