Reiser's tyrannulet is a species of bird in subfamily Elaeniinae of family Tyrannidae, the tyrant flycatchers. It is found in Brazil and Paraguay.
Region
South America
Typical Environment
Occurs in central and eastern Brazil and extends into northeastern Paraguay. Prefers dry to semi-deciduous forests, gallery woodlands along streams, and the edges of Cerrado savannas. It uses second-growth woodland and forest edges, foraging mostly in the mid to upper canopy. The species is often detected by its thin, high-pitched calls within mixed-species flocks.
Altitude Range
200–1500 m
Climate Zone
Subtropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Reiser's tyrannulet is a small, active tyrant flycatcher often identified more reliably by voice than by looks, as it closely resembles other Phyllomyias species. It frequents woodland edges and gallery forests in the Cerrado and adjacent regions. The species honors the collector who helped bring it to science, and it remains locally common where suitable habitat persists.
Reiser's tyrannulet specimens in AMNH collection
Temperament
active and restless
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with brief sallies
Social Behavior
Usually seen singly or in pairs, and frequently joins mixed-species foraging flocks. Pairs maintain small territories during breeding, building a small cup nest concealed in foliage. Likely monogamous, with both parents participating in care.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Gives thin, high-pitched tsee or seee notes and short, squeaky trills. Vocalizations are repetitive and carry through the canopy, aiding identification among similar tyrannulets.
Plumage
Olive-green upperparts with paler yellowish to yellow-washed underparts; two distinct whitish wingbars and dusky wings with pale edging. The crown can appear slightly grayish, with a faint pale supercilium. Plumage is neat and fairly plain, typical of small tyrannulets.
Diet
Primarily small insects and other arthropods, including beetles, hemipterans, caterpillars, and small spiders. It gleans from leaves and twigs and makes short sallies to snatch prey in midair. Foraging is quick and deliberate, often within mixed flocks where it exploits disturbed prey.
Preferred Environment
Feeds in the mid to upper canopy of dry and semi-deciduous forests, gallery woodland, and wooded savanna edges. Frequently uses riparian corridors and secondary growth where insect abundance is high.
