The white-crested spadebill is a species of passerine bird in the tyrant flycatcher family Tyrannidae. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela.
Region
Amazon Basin and the Guianas
Typical Environment
Occurs widely in humid lowland evergreen forests, including terra firme and seasonally flooded várzea, across northern South America. Prefers dense, shaded understory with vine tangles and saplings, often near streams or along forest edges. Frequently uses perches 0.5–3 m above ground for rapid sallies and leaf-gleaning. It is uncommon in heavily fragmented or open secondary habitats but can persist in mature secondary growth with intact understory.
Altitude Range
0–1200 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
A tiny understory tyrant flycatcher, the white-crested spadebill is named for its remarkably broad, spade-like bill used to snatch insects from foliage and in short sallies. It often remains in deep shade, flicking its tail and raising a concealed white crest when agitated. The species commonly joins mixed-species flocks in lowland Amazonian forests. Its reliance on dense understory makes it sensitive to severe habitat degradation.
Temperament
solitary and secretive
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with brief, low sallies
Social Behavior
Usually solitary or in pairs in the understory, but often associates with mixed-species flocks. Territorial displays include crest-raising and soft calls from low perches. Nest is a small, well-camouflaged cup placed low in dense vegetation; clutch size is typically small.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Vocalizations are soft, high-pitched whistles and thin tseet notes, often given singly or in short series. Songs may accelerate slightly into a brief, squeaky trill, carrying only a short distance in dense forest.
Plumage
Olive-brown upperparts with buffy to ochraceous underparts and rufous-edged wing coverts; very short tail. A semi-concealed white crest on the crown is bordered by darker feathers and can be raised. Plumage is soft and plain in the body, contrasting with the oversized, flattened bill.
Diet
Feeds mostly on small insects and other arthropods, including flies, beetles, ants, and spiders. Forages by sally-gleaning from low perches, snatching prey from leaf surfaces, twigs, and the air. The broad bill and rictal bristles help intercept agile prey in dim light. It occasionally probes leaf clusters and dead foliage for hidden insects.
Preferred Environment
Hunts in dim, dense understory near forest streams, gaps, and along shady edges. Often forages 0.5–3 m above the ground where foliage is thick and insect activity is concentrated.
