Spectacled Redstart
Myioborus melanocephalus
Silhouette: Sam Jones · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
- FamilyParulidae (New World Warblers)
- GenusMyioborus (Neotropical Redstarts)
- SpeciesMyioborus melanocephalus (Spectacled Redstart)
About the Spectacled Redstart
The spectacled whitestart or spectacled redstart (Myioborus melanocephalus) is a species of bird in the family Parulidae, the New World warblers. It is found from Colombia to Bolivia. The spectacled whitestart was formally described in 1844 with the binomial Setophaga melanocephala, from a type specimen collected in Maraynioc, Peru. It forms a monophyletic clade with the golden-fronted whitestart (M. ornatus) and white-fronted whitestart (M. albifrons). Some authors have suggested that the spectacled and golden-fronted whitestarts should be treated as conspecific. The ranges of the northernmost spectacled and southernmost golden-fronted overlap and intermediate types and hybrids have been recorded. They are sister species.
As of July 2026, taxonomists recognize these five subspecies of the spectacled whitestart: M. m. ruficoronatus (Kaup, 1852) M. m. griseonuchus (Chapman, 1927 M. m. malaris Zimmer, JT, 1949 M. m. melanocephalus (Tschudi, 1844)
M. m. bolivianus Chapman, 1919 A 2023 paper presented evidence that the type specimen of M. m. ruficoronatus is a hybrid and, by the principle of priority, the subspecies should be renamed M. m. bairdi (Salvin... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Spectacled Redstart in Cajas National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Cajas National Park
Slate-throated Redstart
Myioborus miniatus
Russet-crowned Warbler
Myiothlypis coronata
Black-crested Warbler
Myiothlypis nigrocristata
Three-striped Warbler
Basileuterus tristriatus
American Redstart
Setophaga ruticilla
Great Thrush
Turdus fuscater
Tawny Antpitta
Grallaria quitensis
Chestnut-winged Cinclodes
Cinclodes albidiventris
Tit-like Dacnis
Xenodacnis parina
Black Flowerpiercer
Diglossa humeralis
Brown-backed Chat-Tyrant
Ochthoeca fumicolor
Plumbeous Sierra-Finch
Geospizopsis unicolor
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cajas National Park | 🇪🇨 Ecuador | |
| 2 | Podocarpus National Park | 🇪🇨 Ecuador | |
| 3 | Manu National Park | 🇵🇪 Peru | |
| 4 | Madidi National Park | 🇧🇴 Bolivia | |
| 5 | Cordillera Azul National Park | 🇵🇪 Peru |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Spectacled Redstart in Cajas National Park?
About 60% of wildlife watchers report a Spectacled Redstart sighting in Cajas National Park, based on 537 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Spectacled Redstart in Cajas National Park?
July has the highest sighting rate for Spectacled Redstart in Cajas National Park in our monthly data.