The hangnest tody-tyrant is a species of bird in the family Tyrannidae, the tyrant flycatchers. It is endemic to Brazil.
Region
Atlantic Forest, eastern Brazil
Typical Environment
Found in lowland and foothill Atlantic Forest, including primary forest, forest edges, and well-developed secondary growth. It favors dense understory with vine tangles, bamboo, and thickets. Birds often keep to shaded lower levels, moving methodically through foliage. The species persists in fragmented landscapes but relies on forested patches. Nests are typically placed hanging from slender branches, sometimes near water or in open gaps.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1200 m
Climate Zone
Subtropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
A tiny tyrant flycatcher of Brazil’s Atlantic Forest, the hangnest tody-tyrant gets its name from its distinctive pendulous, pouch-like nest suspended from branches. It forages quietly in the shaded understory, often going unnoticed despite being fairly widespread where habitat remains. Pairs maintain small territories and are often detected by their thin, high-pitched calls.
Temperament
secretive and active
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Usually seen singly or in pairs, maintaining small territories in the understory. Pairs build a distinctive hanging, pouch-like nest from plant fibers. Both parents tend the nest and feed the young. Occasionally joins mixed-species flocks at low levels.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Gives thin, high-pitched tsee and tsi notes, often in short series. Song is a delicate, accelerating series of ticks or high trills that can be ventriloquial in dense foliage.
