The slaty elaenia is a species of bird in subfamily Elaeniinae of family Tyrannidae, the tyrant flycatchers. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Peru, and Venezuela, and as a vagrant in Ecuador and on Trinidad.
Region
Andean region and northern South America
Typical Environment
Occurs in humid montane and foothill forests, especially along edges, clearings, and secondary woodland. It also uses gallery forests and shrubby slopes, and frequents riparian thickets and vine-tangled borders. The species is recorded in Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Peru, and Venezuela, with vagrants in Ecuador and on Trinidad. It generally keeps to mid-story perches where it can sally for insects and glean from foliage.
Altitude Range
500–2500 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The slaty elaenia is a small tyrant flycatcher that favors forest edges and second growth, where it makes short sallies to snatch insects. Its subdued gray tones and subtle wingbars make it tricky to identify, but its voice—thin, whistled phrases and buzzy notes—often gives it away. It is found from the Andes of Venezuela and Colombia south through Peru and Bolivia to northwestern Argentina, with occasional vagrants reported farther afield.
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with quick sallies from perches
Social Behavior
Typically forages alone or in pairs, sometimes joining mixed-species flocks outside the breeding season. Breeding pairs defend small territories, placing a neat cup nest in a fork of a shrub or small tree. Both parents are believed to contribute to feeding the young and nest defense.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
The song is a series of thin, high-pitched whistles interspersed with buzzy notes, delivered from a mid-canopy perch. Calls include sharp chips and soft, squeaky phrases repeated at intervals, especially at dawn.
