Pied Water Tyrant

The pied water tyrant, a small passerine bird belonging to the tyrant flycatcher family, is a creature of striking contrast. It measures a modest 13.5 cm in length and tips the scales at a mere 13 grams. This bird presents a bold black and white plumage, with the nape, back, wings, and tail cloaked in black, while the rest of the body is adorned in a pristine white.

Identification Tips

When observing the pied water tyrant, look for the distinct black and white coloration. Both sexes exhibit similar markings, though females may display a touch of brown intermingled with the black. The immature birds, on the other hand, wear a brown plumage where the adults show black.

Habitat

This species thrives in marshy savannahs and on the fringes of mangrove swamps, environments that offer both the water and the open space it favors.

Distribution

The pied water tyrant has made its home in tropical South America, ranging from Panama and Trinidad down to the reaches of Bolivia.

Behaviour

Watch for the characteristic bobbing motion when the pied water tyrant is perched. During courtship, they engage in a fluttering display flight reminiscent of a butterfly. These birds are also known to forage in low waterside vegetation.

Song & Calls

The vocalization of the pied water tyrant is a distinctive nasal "djweeooo," a sound that once heard, is not easily forgotten.

Breeding

The nest of the pied water tyrant is a marvel of avian architecture, a feather-lined oval ball woven from grasses and other plant materials, featuring a side entrance. It is strategically placed at the end of a branch, often suspended over water. Both parents share the duty of incubating the typical clutch of two or three creamy-white eggs, adorned with a smattering of brown spots. However, their reproductive efforts are sometimes thwarted by cowbirds, which may parasitize the nest.

Diet and Feeding

The pied water tyrant sustains itself primarily on insects, which it adeptly plucks from the vegetation in its watery world.

Conservation status

BirdLife International has assessed the pied water tyrant as being of Least Concern, indicating that, for now, this species does not face imminent threats to its survival.