Grayish Mourner

About the Grayish Mourner

The greyish mourner (Rhytipterna simplex) is a species of bird in the family Tyrannidae, the tyrant flycatchers. It is found in every mainland South American country except Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay. The greyish mourner was originally described as Muscicapa simplex, mistakenly placing it with the Old World flycatchers. It was later transferred to genus Rhytipterna that had been erected in 1850. It shares that genus with the pale-bellied mourner (R. immunda) and rufous mourner (R. holerythra). The greyish and rufous mourners apparently form a superspecies.

The greyish mourner has two subspecies, the nominate R. s. simplex (Lichtenstein, MHC, 1823) and R. s. frederici (Bangs & Penard, TE, 1918). The greyish mourner is 19.5 to 20.5 cm (7.7 to 8.1 in) long and weighs 33 to 38 g (1.2 to 1.3 oz). Males of the nominate subspecies have a gray head with a hint of a crest at the rear of the crown. Their upperparts, wings, and tail are gray with a tinge of brown on the wings and tail. Their throat is light gray and their underparts slightly darker gray but lighter than the upperparts; their belly has a slight yellowish green tinge... Wikipedia →