Tepui Elaenia

About the Tepui Elaenia

The tepui elaenia (Elaenia olivina) is a species of bird in subfamily Elaeniinae of family Tyrannidae, the tyrant flycatchers. It is found in Brazil, Guyana, and Venezuela. The tepui elaenia has two subspecies, the nominate E. o. olivina (Salvin & Godman, 1884) and E. o. davidwillardi (Dickerman & Phelps, WH Jr, 1987). For much of the twentieth century the nominate was treated as a subspecies of the sierran elaenia (E. pallatangae). It (with subspecies E. o. davidwillardi) were not recognized as a separate species until about 2008 after which taxonomic systems made the change.

The tepui elaenia is about 14.5 to 15 cm (5.7 to 5.9 in) long and weighs about 15 to 20 g (0.53 to 0.71 oz). It is a small elaenia with a very small crest. The sexes have the same plumage. Adults of the nominate subspecies have a dark olive-brown head with lighter cheeks, a thin yellowish white eyering, and a thin white strip in the center of the crown. Their upperparts are dark olive-brown. Their wings are mostly dark olive-brown with whitish or yellowish edges on the flight feathers. The tips of their wing coverts are whitish and show as two bars on the closed... Wikipedia →