The Chilean elaenia is a species of bird in subfamily Elaeniinae of family Tyrannidae, the tyrant flycatchers. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay.
Region
South America
Typical Environment
Breeds mainly in temperate forests and scrub of southern Chile and adjacent Argentina, especially in Nothofagus woodlands, shrublands, and forest edges. During the austral winter it migrates north through the Andes and into lowland tropical South America, occurring in Bolivia, Peru, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, and occasionally Colombia. It favors ecotones, riparian thickets, second-growth, and open woodlands, often near clearings. In winter it also uses gallery forests and wooded savannas, including edges of cerrado and transitional forests.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 3000 m
Climate Zone
Temperate
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The Chilean elaenia is a small tyrant flycatcher that breeds in temperate southern South America and migrates north in the austral winter, reaching tropical Andean and Amazonian regions. It can be tricky to separate from other elaenias; look for two bold wingbars, a slight crest with a concealed whitish crown patch, and its distinctive squeaky, descending call. It readily uses second-growth and edge habitats, which helps it persist near human-modified landscapes.
Temperament
active and alert
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with frequent sallies
Social Behavior
Usually seen singly or in pairs during the breeding season, defending small territories. In the non-breeding season it often joins mixed-species flocks while foraging in canopy and edge habitats. The nest is a small open cup placed on a horizontal branch or in forked twigs, with both parents attending young.
Migratory Pattern
Seasonal migrant
Song Description
Its voice is a clear, squeaky series of descending notes, often rendered as a thin 'twee-wee' or 'pseeé' repeated at intervals. Calls are sharper chips and trills given during foraging and contact.
Plumage
Olive-brown upperparts with paler grayish crown showing a slight crest; underparts off-white to pale gray with a faint yellowish wash on the belly. Two distinct whitish wingbars and edged wing coverts give a barred-wing look. The crown may reveal a small concealed whitish patch when the crest is raised.
Diet
Primarily eats small insects such as flies, beetles, caterpillars, and other arthropods, taken by sallying from perches or gleaning from foliage. It also consumes small fruits and berries, especially in the non-breeding season, which supplements its insect diet. Occasional spiders and other small invertebrates are included.
Preferred Environment
Feeds along forest edges, in second-growth thickets, and in the mid- to upper canopy of open woodlands. In winter it frequents gallery forests and semi-open tropical woodlands, often near riparian corridors.
