The olive-chested flycatcher is a species of bird in the family Tyrannidae, the tyrant flycatchers. It is found in Ecuador and Peru.
Region
Western Amazon Basin and Andean foothills
Typical Environment
Occurs on the east Andean slopes of Ecuador into northern and central Peru, mainly in humid foothill and lower montane forests. It frequents forest edges, secondary growth, and shaded ravines, often near streams. Typically uses the understory to midstory, sallying from low exposed perches to catch prey. It can persist in moderately disturbed habitats if some forest structure remains.
Altitude Range
400–1600 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
A small tyrant flycatcher of humid foothill forests on the east slope of the Andes in Ecuador and Peru. It often perches quietly at mid-levels and darts out to snatch insects, making it easy to overlook. Identification relies on its olive-toned chest, two pale wingbars, and voice, which helps separate it from similar Myiophobus species.
Temperament
quiet and unobtrusive, active when foraging
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with quick sallies from perches
Social Behavior
Usually solitary or in pairs, sometimes joining mixed-species flocks in the midstory. Breeding pairs defend small territories and build a small cup nest placed low to mid-levels in vegetation. Parental care is shared, with both adults feeding the young.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Gives thin, high-pitched whistles and sharp chip notes, often in short series. Vocalizations are modest but distinctive in cadence, aiding detection in dense foliage.
Plumage
Olive-brown upperparts with an olive-washed breast and cleaner, paler belly; two narrow pale wingbars and subtle rufous edging on flight feathers. Slightly dusky face with a faint, broken eye-ring and short crestless crown. Feathers are smooth with minimal streaking.
Diet
Primarily small flying insects such as flies, beetles, and ants, taken by sallying from low to mid-level perches. Also gleans arthropods from foliage when opportunities arise. Foraging is deliberate, with frequent short returns to the same perch.
Preferred Environment
Feeds along forest edges, gaps, and light-dappled understory where visibility for aerial sallies is good. Often forages near streams and along trails or clearings.
