- Myiodynastes chrysocephalus
Identification
Length 21 cm (8 in)
A fairly large tyrant flycatcher with strong markings and coloration. Olive and brown back with rufous edging on wings, but white edgings on scapulars (at least sometimes). Buffy yellow breast with darker mottled streaks, partly concealed yellow crown stripe, white supercilium, dark eye stripe, and dark malar stripe.
Similar Species
Could be confused with the Yellow-throated Flycatcher, White-ringed Flycatcher, Three-striped Flycatcher, Great Kiskadee, Lesser Kiskadee, Boat-billed Flycatcher, or Social Flycatcher, but separable by range (most of the similar species inhabit the lowlands rather than montane areas), habitat (many of these are always near water), and by the key field markings in italics in the Identification section.
Distribution
Central America: Eastern Panama
South America: Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and just into Argentina.
Taxonomy
Subspecies
Three subspecies are recognized[1]:
- M. c. minor:
- M. c. cinerascens:
- Andes of northern Colombia and coastal cordillera of northern Venezuela
- M. c. chrysocephalus:
Habitat
Montane forests and clearings. In Ecuador, between 1000m and 2200m on both slopes of Andes.
Different field guides disagree about the following: "often found near mountain streams", for example in Panama that does not seem to be the case.
Behaviour
Generally solitary, but sometimes joins mixed flocks.
Diet
Eats insects, fruit and occasionally small lizards.
Vocalisation
Noisy, with raucous calls.
Song: a repetetive, short tuiewee, tuieweet or pieuee.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2014. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: Version 6.9., with updates to August 2014. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Ridgely & Gwynne 1989. Birds of Panama. Princeton Paperbacks. ISBN 0691025126
- Ridgely and Tudor 2009. Field guide to the songbirds of South America - The Passerines. University of Texas Press. ISBN 978-0-292-71979-8
- Restall et al. 2006. Birds of Northern South America. Yale University Press. ISBN 9780300124156
- Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved May 2014)
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Golden-crowned Flycatcher. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 13 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Golden-crowned_Flycatcher
