Family Tyrant-flycatchers (Tyrannidae)
Least Concern
Tufted Tit-tyrant (Anairetes parulus)
Taxonomy
French: Taurillon mésange German: Meisentachurityrann Spanish: Cachudito piquinegro
Taxonomy:
Muscicapa Parulus
Kittlitz
, 1830,Valparaíso, Chile
.
Subspecies and Distribution
A. p. aequatorialis
Berlepsch & Taczanowski, 1884 – Andes from S Colombia (Cauca) S to W Bolivia and N Argentina (S to Salta and Jujuy).
A. p. parulus
(Kittlitz, 1830) – W Chile (from Atacama) and SW Argentina (from W Neuquén) S to Tierra del Fuego.
A. p. patagonicus
(Hellmayr, 1920) – C & SC Argentina (S Mendoza S to N Santa Cruz).
Descriptive notes
9·5 cm; 6 g. Nominate race has blackish crown, central feathers pure black and greatly elongated into thin, recurved crest, concealed small white crown patch (... read more
Voice
Very vocal; sharp, high-pitched trills, chatters, and irregular phrases, sometimes in duet, most... read more
Habitat
Broader ecological range than all congeners. Favours montane shrublands, but also occurs in brushy... read more
Food and feeding
Insects. Forages very actively, in pairs or family groups, occasionally with mixed-species flocks but more often not. Makes frequent short... read more
Breeding
Jan–Jun in N and Aug–Jan in S; regularly double-brooded. Often aggressive, chasing with undulating flights while making... read more
Movements
S populations (patagonicus) migrate N to N Argentina (Salta) after breeding.
Status and conservation
Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Uncommon to locally common. Occurs in several protected areas, e.g. Puracé National Park, in Colombia, Cotopaxi National Park... read more
Recent genetic study#R indicates that this species is closest to A. flavirostris; an earlier molecular analysis#R suggested that it was closest to A. fernandezianus. Three subspecies recognized.