The scale-crested pygmy tyrant is a species of bird in the family Tyrannidae, the tyrant flycatchers. It is found primarily in Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela.
Region
Central America and the Northern Andes
Typical Environment
Occurs from Costa Rica and Panama south through the Andes of Colombia and Venezuela to western Ecuador and northern Peru. It inhabits humid foothill and lower montane forests, including edges, second growth, and ravines rich in epiphytes and moss. Most frequently found in the shaded understory and midstory, especially along stream corridors. Locally common where intact forest remains.
Altitude Range
300–2000 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
This tiny flycatcher is famous for its dramatic, spiky crest, which it raises during excitement or display and whose pale-tipped feathers give a scaled look. It often joins mixed-species flocks in humid foothill and montane forests, where it actively gleans and sallies for insects. Nests are usually neat, mossy, hanging pouches placed in shaded forest sites, often near streams.
Temperament
social and active
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with quick sallies
Social Behavior
Usually seen singly or in pairs, frequently accompanying mixed-species flocks. Pairs maintain small territories and display by raising the crest. The nest is a small, pendant, mossy pouch with a side entrance, often placed in shaded, humid areas near water.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Voice is a series of very high, thin trills and buzzy notes, often delivered from midstory perches. Calls include sharp, ticking chips and soft, rising seee phrases, repeated persistently.
