Johnson's Tody-Flycatcher Poecilotriccus luluae Scientific name definitions

Also known as Lulu’s Tody-Flycatcher, this is a recently described species that is restricted to a small area in northern Peru, in the departments of Amazonas and San Martín. This small flycatcher usually forages in pairs in the understory in thickets and bamboo at the edges of montane humid forest, often along roads, although the species also is recorded in the forest interior. Johnson's Tody-Flycatcher forms a superspecies with Rufous-crowned Tody-Flycatcher (Poecilotriccus ruficeps), which this species replaces south of the Marañón Valley. The two possess largely similar plumage, but Johnson’s Tody-Flycatcher has virtually the entire hood rufous, and lacks any black markings on the nape and ear coverts. Their vocalizations also differ. To date, very little has been recorded concerning the ecology, including breeding biology, of Johnson's Tody-Flycatcher. This species is considered by some to be Endangered, in view of ongoing forest loss within its small range, but in contrast to birds of the forest interior, Johnson's Tody-Flycatcher is a species of second growth that may benefit, at least in the short term, from habitat disturbance.