The rufous twistwing is a species of bird in the family Tyrannidae, the tyrant flycatchers. It is found in Brazil, Bolivia, and Peru.
Region
Southwestern Amazon Basin
Typical Environment
Occurs in lowland rainforest dominated by Guadua bamboo across southeastern Peru, northern Bolivia, and far western Brazil (notably Madre de Dios, Pando, and Acre). It favors dense, monodominant bamboo stands along river edges, old oxbows, and disturbed terra firme forest. The species is patchy, tracking the distribution of mature bamboo thickets. It usually keeps to the lower to mid-understory, moving through tangles and along bamboo culms.
Altitude Range
100–600 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
A bamboo specialist of the tyrant flycatcher family, the rufous twistwing was only described to science in 2007. It is named for its uniformly rufous plumage and the genus’s distinctive twisted inner secondaries. The species is elusive and often detected by voice within dense Guadua bamboo thickets. Its reliance on bamboo makes it patchily distributed across the southwestern Amazon.
Temperament
secretive and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Typically found singly or in pairs within dense bamboo, where it defends small territories. Breeding is believed to occur during periods of bamboo seeding and peak insect availability; both adults likely participate in care. Nests are concealed within bamboo tangles.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A simple, low, whistled series often given from within bamboo, consisting of soft, clear notes spaced at even intervals. Calls include thin chips and short whistles that can be hard to localize. Vocalizations are most frequent at dawn.
