Rufous-crowned Greenlet Hylophilus poicilotis Scientific name definitions

The Rufous-crowned Greenlet is a common inhabitant of the Atlantic Forest biome, where it is found in tall forest, old second growth, and other well-wooded areas, to at least 1000 m. Seen well, it is a distinctive and agile little bird, with a clear rufous crown, olive-green upperparts, grizzled ear coverts, and yellowish-gray underparts. It is typically found in small flocks of conspecifics, and sometimes with other species, moving through the canopy or mid levels of the forest. Nowadays, the Gray-eyed Greenlet (Hylophilus amaurocephalus) is generally regarded as a separate species from the Rufous-crowned Greenlet, but for many decades these two were treated as conspecifics. They are sympatric locally, and clearly differ in vocalizations, morphology, iris color, and habitat preferences.

12·5 cm; 9–12 g. Crown is bright chestnut-brown, contrasting with olive-green back and shoulders, lower back and rump brighter green; flight-feathers dull greyish-black, primaries and secondaries with narrow green edgings on outer webs (giving greenish appearance to closed wing), tertials with diffuse greenish edging on inner webs and yellow-green edging (not visible on closed wing) on inner webs; carpal joints yellowish; rectrices greyish-green, brighter greenish edgings on outer webs; ear-coverts dull greyish-black with paler grey mottling, throat dull pale grey, chest yellowish-grey, becoming dull yellow on breast, somewhat brighter yellow on belly and flanks, vent dull yellowish; iris dark reddish-brown, rarely grey-brown or greyish (possibly age-related); bill dull blackish above, grey to dusky pinkish below; legs greyish. Sexes alike. Immature is similar to adult, but underparts brighter, back more olivaceous.

SE Brazil (S Mato Grosso do Sul E to Espírito Santo, S to Rio Grande do Sul), E Paraguay and N Argentina (Misiones).