Lesser Greenlet Pachysylvia decurtata Scientific name definitions

The Lesser Greenlet is primarily a Middle American species, wherein the species reaches as far north as northeast Mexico, although it ranges south through the Pacific lowlands of South America as far south as northwest Peru. It is generally found at elevations below 1000 m, but locally it ranges considerably higher. As befits its name, the Lesser Greenlet is a small-bodied Hylophilus, albeit perhaps not obviously smaller than other congenerics in a field situation. It is very uniformly plumaged, with a slightly gray-blue crown, pale lores and eye ring, principally greenish upperparts, and pale below with some yellowish elements admixed, especially on the flanks. Perhaps the best features for distinguishing this species from other small passerines, especially if only seen in the canopy from below, are the relatively large head, but small body, and the stubby tail. Like other greenlets, the sexes are alike.

9·4–10·2 cm; 6·6–10·3 g. Nominate race has top and side of head grey-blue, lores greyish, whitish eyering and often a narrow paler supraloral stripe; upperparts bright dark olive-green, rump olive-green; primaries and secondaries dark greyish, bright greenish on outer webs (giving green colour to closed wing), rectrices greyish-green; chin whitish, throat pale grey, chest very pale lemon-yellow, belly whitish, flanks and vent greenish-yellow; axillaries and underwing-coverts yellow; iris dark brown; bill dark grey above, pale grey to horn below; legs pale grey or leaden blue. Sexes alike. Juvenile is pale brownish-olive on crown, with side of head dull buff, back dull olive-green, throat and chest tinged buffy. Race brevipennis has crown pure grey, contrasting with grass-green back, pale lores and ear-coverts, flanks brighter green and axillaries richer yellow than nominate; dicker­mani has back darker, duller green (contrasting less with crown), extensive green on flanks, white throat but little or no white on underparts, axillaries duller yellow; phillipsi is duller and greyer above than other races, crown sometimes tinged brown, flanks and undertail-coverts paler, axillaries pale yellow; darienensis has crown washed with olive, little or no contrast with back; minor is more brightly coloured than last, greenish-yellow of sides and flanks darker and more extensive.

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Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Humid, evergreen forest, forest edge and semi-deciduous forest, from sea-level to 1000 m; occasionally higher, to 1200 m in Costa Rica and 1700 m in Panama. Occurs also in drier deciduous forest in Peru.

Apparently sedentary.

Food mostly invertebrates; some arillate seeds (Alchornea) also taken. Nest­ling diet apparently invertebrates only, i.e. winged and larval insects, including caterpillars. Active restless forager, mostly in canopy, also lower down or in bushes in second growth. Forages mostly in green foliage; also investigates curled-up dead leaves, sometimes hanging upside-down. Usually in pairs or family groups; frequently in mixed flocks.

Song described as a pleasant, rather quiet series of 2–3 phrases, continuously repeated and then changing into different motif, "chi-chi-cher cher cher"; female may sometimes sing with shortened version of same type. Calls include a faint "churr" or a dry, rolled rattle, and various harsh, scolding nasal notes.

Breeding from Mar and nest-building as late as end Jun in Belize; nests Feb–May in Costa Rica; birds in breeding condition in May in NW Colombia. Nest a deep cup or pouch made from dead leaves, bamboo strips and grasses, lined with fine vegetable fibres, attached by its rim with cobwebs and fine plant fibres to narrow twigs 4–14 m above ground in fork of branch. Clutch 2 eggs, white with little gloss, heavily spotted and blotched, especially around blunt end, with pale brown; incubation, probably by female alone, c. 16 days; small chicks brooded by female, young fed by both sexes, nestling period c. 12 days.

Not globally threatened. Common or abundant over much of its range. Able to adapt to modified habitats, including regenerating forest.