Amazonian inezia

Amazonian inezia
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Tyrannidae
Genus:	Inezia
Species:	I. subflava
Binomial name
Inezia subflava (Sclater, PL & Salvin, 1873)

The Amazonian Inezia or Amazonia Tyrannulet (Inezia subflava) is a tiny tyrant-flycatcher bird that belongs to the Tyrannidae family found in riverine forests and scrub, including on islands, from southwest Venezuela and neighboring southeast Colombia south through the Amazonian region to northern Bolivia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, and heavily degraded former forest. Its prominent white supraloral and eye-ring, as well as its extremely "spotty" double wingbars, are what most easily set it apart. Olive-green to pale yellow makes up the majority of the rest of the feathers. With their tails held cocked, the species is frequently found in pairs, usually low to the ground. However, very little else about the biology and behavior of this tyrannulet has been documented to this point. The Amazonian Tyrannulet and the allopatric Pale-tipped Tyrannulet (Inezia caudata)of northern South America were once thought to be conspecific, however vocalizations and, to a lesser extent, morphology clearly distinguish them from one another.

Field identification

Small flycatcher that frequently holds its long tail cocked. It has two white wingbars, a yellow underpart, and an olive-brown back. The wide white eye-ring "spectacles" are to be noted. Always found close to water, such as in shrubby vegetation along lake shores and particularly on river islands. scavenges in the undergrowth. sings a sporadic series of quickly rising "pit-chew" notes, generally in a duet.

12 cm; 7-8 g. The nominate race has a broad white eye ring and supraloral area that extends forward to above the nostrils (prominent "spectacles"); the crown and upper parts are olive-brown; the wings have two thin wingbars and the outer edges of the inner remiges are dull white to pale yellowish-white; the tail is quite long, dusky olive, and is conspicuously white to pale ochraceous on the edges and tips; the face and chin are Similar in size, with the female being somewhat smaller than the male. Unknown juvenile. Strongly olive-washed in the center of the breast, race obscura has a little bigger bill.

Habitat

Streamside and riverbank shrubby vegetation, extensive swamp forests, and várzea frequently close to water. 200 m above sea level.

Diet and foraging

Insects; travels alone or in pairs; occasionally joins flocks of different species. Actively forages among dense foliage, frequently cocking its tail slightly; it primarily perches but can also hover and glean among branches and leaves.

Sounds and vocal behavior

Main song is a dry rattle of closely spaced notes on one pitch (26 notes in 2 seconds); distinctive duet has explosive series of "pit-chew" notes (2 per second) probably by male and slightly lower-pitched "kut-up" or "Kutter up" notes at slightly faster intervals probably by female; duets occasionally begin with rapid series of "kip" notes by presumed male; additionally, abrupt, loud series of "chew" notes and abrupt "pik" notes.

Conservation status

Not globally threatened. Rare to moderately common. Common in Colombia's Puerto Inrida (NE Guaina). occurs in the Brazilian national parks of Ja and Tapajós, the Anavilhanas Zoological Station, and the Noel Kempff Mercado National Park.

Additional References

1. https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/amatyr1/cur/introduction
2. https://ebird.org/species/amatyr1
3. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22733832/95066338
4. https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/platyr1/cur/introduction#:~:text=Diet%20and%20Foraging,gleans%20in%20foliage%20and%20twigs.