Streaked Flycatcher

The Streaked Flycatcher, Myiodynastes maculatus, is a medium-sized passerine bird, a member of the tyrant flycatcher family. It measures approximately 22 cm in length and weighs around 43 grams. Its plumage is characterized by a strong black bill, a brown head with a hidden yellow crown patch, and a distinctive white supercilium above a dusky eye mask. The bird's upperparts are brown with darker streaks on the back, while the wings are adorned with rufous and white edges. The rump and tail boast wide chestnut edges. Its underparts are a yellowish-white, streaked with brown.

Identification Tips

When identifying the Streaked Flycatcher, look for its strong black bill and the concealed yellow crown patch on its brown head. The white supercilium and dusky eye mask are also key features. The upperparts display darker brown streaks, and the underparts are yellowish-white with brown streaking. The sexes appear similar, but juveniles can be distinguished by their brown, rather than black, coloration. The subspecies M. m. solitarius exhibits black streaking above and below, rather than brown.

Habitat

This species is typically found at the edges of forests and cocoa plantations, where it can be seen perching conspicuously.

Distribution

The Streaked Flycatcher breeds from eastern Mexico, Trinidad and Tobago, southward to Bolivia and Argentina. The southern subspecies, M. m. solitarius, migrates to Venezuela and the Guianas during the austral winter, from March to September.

Behaviour

The Streaked Flycatcher is a conspicuous bird, known for its noisy sqEEE-zip call. It is an adept aerial hunter, performing a variety of aerobatic maneuvers to catch insects in mid-flight or off plants. It occasionally joins mixed-species feeding flocks, capitalizing on prey flushed by other birds.

Song & Calls

The call of the Streaked Flycatcher is a distinctive and noisy sqEEE-zip, which can be heard across its habitat.

Breeding

The female Streaked Flycatcher constructs an open cup nest made of twigs and grasses, often placed in a tree hollow or sometimes within a bromeliad. She incubates a typical clutch of two to three creamy-white eggs, marked with red-brown spots, for about 16 to 17 days until hatching. Both parents are involved in feeding the chicks, which fledge after another 18 to 21 days.

Similar Species

The Streaked Flycatcher closely resembles the less widespread Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher. However, it can be differentiated by its heavier bill, lighter yellow belly, pink basal half of the lower mandible, and a creamy supercilium, as opposed to white.

Diet and Feeding

The diet of the Streaked Flycatcher consists mostly of large insects such as cicadas, locusts, and beetles, but it also includes lizards and berries. During the winter, the southern migrants seem to consume a considerable amount of fruit, such as those from the Tamanqueiro tree.

Conservation status

The Streaked Flycatcher is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, indicating that it is not currently considered threatened.