Jelski's Black-Tyrant Knipolegus signatus Scientific name definitions

Jelski's Black-Tyrant is an uncommon and poorly known flycatcher of the edges of humid montane forests, from extreme southeastern Ecuador south to central Peru. It was discovered in 1873 by the Polish ornithologist Konstanty Jelski, who collected three specimens in 1873; remarkably, it was not seen again by ornithologists for 100 years, before it was encountered again in 1973. It seems to be uncommon, and remains very poorly known.

14·5–16·5 cm. Male has plumage uniform sooty black; iris dark red or chestnut; bill blackish; legs black. Differs from K. aterrimus in less shiny black plumage and lack of white in wing. Female dark dull olive-brown above, more rufous on uppertail-coverts, with two whitish to buff wingbars, dusky tail narrowly edged cinnamon-rufous, broadly streaked dark greyish-olive underparts, especially on breast (often uniform-looking) and dark buffy undertail-coverts. Juvenile is like female, upperparts washed rusty, wingbars white, pale yellow panel on wing, pale streaks below more extensive, tinged pale yellow.

Extreme S Ecuador (Cordillera del Cóndor) and N & C Peru (Amazonas to Junín).

No known differences in habitat preferences between this species and K. cabanisi; elevational range mainly 1900–3050 m, but at least locally occurs marginally lower, e.g. around Abra Patricia (N Peru).

Resident.

Very little known, although diet and foraging behaviour probably differ little from K. signatus; perches up to c. 10 m above ground.

Presumably usually quiet like K. cabanisi, but nothing appears to be known.

Apparently nothing known.

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Generally uncommon and apparently local. Only recently (Dec 2001, Sept 2003) recorded for first time in Ecuador, in the Cordillera del Condor. Considered rare in N & C Peru, where it went unrecorded for c. 100 years between last third of 19th century and early 1970s.