Social Flycatcher

The Social Flycatcher, Myiozetetes similis, is a passerine bird belonging to the vast Tyrant Flycatcher family, Tyrannidae. This species is sometimes divided, with Myiozetetes texensis ranging from Costa Rica to Mexico, and Myiozetetes similis proper found from southwest Costa Rica across South America.

Identification Tips

Adult Social Flycatchers measure 16–18 cm in length and weigh between 24–27 grams. They exhibit a dark grey head with a striking white eyestripe and an often hidden orange to vermilion crown stripe. Their upperparts are olive-brown, while the wings and tail are brown with faint rufous fringes. The underparts are a vibrant yellow, and the throat is white. Juveniles can be identified by a paler eye mask, a less pronounced crown stripe, and chestnut fringes on their wing and tail feathers. Their call is a sharp "peeurrr," and their dawn song resembles a "chips-k’-cheery."

Habitat

These birds are found in a variety of open habitats, including plantations, pastures with trees, and open woodlands.

Distribution

The Social Flycatcher is a common and widespread species, with a range extending from northwestern Mexico to northeastern Peru, southern Brazil, and northwestern Argentina.

Behaviour

Social Flycatchers are known for perching openly on trees, from where they launch to catch insects mid-flight using a range of aerobatic maneuvers. They also hover and glean prey, consume small berries, and may forage on the ground or in shallow waters for aquatic invertebrates, tadpoles, and occasionally small fish. They have been observed foraging alongside common marmosets, possibly cooperating to flush out prey.

Song & Calls

The Social Flycatcher's call is a distinctive "peeurrr," and its dawn song is a cheerful "chips-k’-cheery."

Breeding

The female constructs a large, roofed nest made of stems and straw in a bush, tree, or on a building, often near protective wasp, bee, or ant nests. The typical clutch consists of two to four cream or white eggs, blotched with brown or lilac, laid between February and June.

Similar Species

This bird is similar in appearance to its closest living relative, the Rusty-margined Flycatcher, as well as the White-bearded Flycatcher, White-ringed Flycatcher, and Lesser Kiskadee. However, these species are difficult to distinguish based solely on appearance.

Diet and Feeding

The diet of the Social Flycatcher includes insects, small berries from trees like the gumbo-limbo, and occasionally aquatic prey. They are adept at catching insects in flight and are also known to glean insects from leaves and branches.

Conservation Status

The IUCN lists the Social Flycatcher as Least Concern, indicating that it is not currently threatened.