Boat-billed Flycatcher Megarynchus pitangua Scientific name definitions

The Boat-billed Flycatcher is a large and widespread inhabitant of clearings and forest edges from southern Mexico to south to Argentina. Boat-billed Flycatchers have a striking facial pattern with a black crown, yellow coronal patch, a white supercilium and black lores; this facial pattern is shared with species of several other genera of large-bodied neotropical flycatchers.  True to their name, Boat-billed Flycatchers have a broad and heavy bill.  Boat-billed Flycatchers generally forage in pairs or in small family groups at medium to high elevations in the forest canopy.  These flycatchers, sally-glean to catch insects or to snatch a piece of fruit.  The Boat-billed Flycatcher is resident in most of its range, but some populations in southern Brazil and northern Argentina are thought to be migratory.

21·5–24 cm; 53–70 g (1 Junge, G. C. A., and G. F. Mees (1958). The avifauna of Trinidad and Tobago. Zoologische Verhandelingen 37(1):1–172. Close , 2 Contreras, J. R. (1979). Bird weights from northeastern Argentina. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 99(1):21–24. Close ). Nominate race has blackish-brown or dull sooty-black crown, yellow to orange-rufous coronal patch (semi-concealed); long, broad and conpicuously contrasting white supercilia extending to side of forehead meeting (or nearly so) on nape; broad black band from lores to ear-coverts dull slate-black, white malar region; upperparts mostly olive to dull brownish olive; wings dusky brownish, rather inconspicuous narrow pale cinnamon or rufous edgings (sometimes lacking); tail rather short, dusky brownish with narrow pale cinnamon or rufous edgings; throat white; underparts, including axillaries and underwing-coverts, bright yellow; iris brown; bill exceptionally broad and heavy, rather long with a strongly arched culmen, blackish, base of lower mandible sometimes more brownish; legs blackish. Distinguished from superficially similar Pitangus sulphuratus and Myiozetetes similis by large size, brownish wings and tail, more olivaceous upperparts, unusually stout and exceptionally broad bill. Sexes alike. Juvenile is similar to adult, but lacks coronal patch, has broader cinnamon or rufous edgings on wing (more whitish on inner secondaries) and tail, supercilium tinged yellow, also generally darker and more brownish above with cinnamon to dull rufous feather edges. Races vary mainly in plumage tones and prominence of edgings: <em>mexicanus</em> has brighter or more greenish-olive upperparts than nominate, no rufous margins on rectrices, and in NW Colombia said to have coronal patch tawny-orange; caniceps differs from previous in more greyish crown, more greyish-olive upperparts; tardiusculus and deserticola are similar to previous two; chrysogaster is similar to nominate, but has more prominent rufous margins on remiges and upperwing-coverts, slightly richer yellow underparts, and coronal patch supposedly always tawny-orange (not yellow or orange-yellow).

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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.

Variety of woodland and forest habitats, from humid to arid and deciduous, but most often observed in semi-open areas, savanna and clearings with scattered tall trees, plantations, or edges of more densely covered areas, and drier riparian woodland; in Amazonia usually associated with várzea canopy and margins of rivers and lakes, but not exclusively close to water; also shady gardens and tall second growth. Mostly below 1000–1500 m, but often observed to 1850 m (rarely, to 2000 m) in Costa Rica and Panama, and recorded to 1900 m in Venezuela and Ecuador (E Loja).

Not very well understood. Some populations of nominate race in S Brazil and NE Argentina considered migratory; also known to wander broadly and appears to undergo some elevational shifts, descending from higher altitudes following breeding season.

Invertebrates, especially cicadas (Cicadidae) and other very large insects; also known to consume small vertebrates, and figs (Ficus), berries and arillate seeds. Usually observed in pairs or small family groups of 3–5 individuals; occasionally joins mixed flocks moving through canopy. Generally at middle to higher levels and often amid dense canopy foliage, but also readily perches conspicuously in the open, on top or at sides of larger trees; sometimes at lower levels, especially on interior branches of more open trees such as Cecropia. Scans from perch; sally-gleans prey usually at short distances, from surface of foliage, sometimes hovering briefly, but often striking explosively against leaf; often hammers larger items against perch prior to consumption; rarely, hawks flying insects; fruits and seeds taken by sally-gleaning or perch-gleaning.

Common calls , sometimes accompanied by head-bobbing, varied, loud, rather harsh and slightly squealing, readily noticeable, include gruff and often rattling, stuttering or quavering “kwée’le”, “eeihrrr”, “krrrah”, “neeeeeah” or “keerrrrr-eék”, gruff and quarrelsome “quee-zika quee-zika” or “eehr, eehr ki-di-rrik” and similar, nasal whiny “er-er-er-erk”, nasal and mocking “nya-nya-nya-nya”, and rapidly repeated loud “choip choip”; race chrysogaster (W of Andes) said to give fast “kreh-kreh-kreh-kreh-kreh-kreeeenh” and series of “kirrr-wick” calls, different from strident nasal “kryeeeh-nyeh-nyeh-nyeh” of nominate (E of Andes); also louder and more insistent squealing “squéé’lee’lee” and “squ’é’é’le’le’le” in disputes. Dawn song loud but simple and clear, slightly reedy and rolled “whée-dic”, “pprrri-iu”, “chirr-rr” or “cheer chirree”, monotonously repeated (once per second), as well as shorter “prriu” or “cheer” punctuated by slurred “bo-oy” or “chrr-ee”.

Feb–Jun in Trinidad; in Colombia, nest-building in Jul and Oct, incubation in Aug in extreme SW (Leticia), males in breeding condition Jun–Aug in N (Guajira, César) and once in Jan in S (Huila); nesting in late Nov in S Brazil, nest-building in Jul in Amazonas; mid-Oct to late Dec (nestlings late Dec) in Argentina (Misiones). Nest, completed in c. 10–14 days, a more or less round and rather shallow cup, composed of variety of materials including twigs, leaves, grass, dry vines, roots, rhizomes of epiphytes, and other fibrous materials, sometimes appearing rather frail and loosely constructed; usually placed at fork of horizontal tree branch c. 6–30 m up, at variable distance (up to 7 m) from trunk. Clutch 2–3 eggs, laid at intervals of 2–3 day; incubation period 17–18 days; nestling period c. 24 days.

Not globally threatened. Uncommon to common. Occurs in numerous national parks and other protected areas throughout its very large range. Adaptable; found in wide variety of wooded habitats, and exhibits tolerance of degraded habitats. Not likely to become threatened.