Piratic Flycatcher
Legatus leucophaius
Silhouette: Emily Willoughby · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
- FamilyTyrannidae (Tyrant Flycatchers)
- GenusLegatus
- SpeciesLegatus leucophaius (Piratic Flycatcher)
About the Piratic Flycatcher
The piratic flycatcher (Legatus leucophaius) is a passerine bird in the family Tyrannidae, the tyrant flycatchers. It is found in Mexico, in every Central American country except El Salvador, in Trinidad and Tobago, and in every mainland South American country except Chile, though in Uruguay only as a vagrant. It has also occurred several times as a vagrant in the southern United States.
The piratic flycatcher was originally described in 1818 as Platyrhynchos leucophaius. It was later moved to its current genus Legatus that was erected in 1859. For a time it was also known as Legatus albicollis. The piratic flycatcher is the only member of genus Legatus. It has two subspecies, the nominate L. l. leucophaius (Vieillot, 1818) and L. l. variegatus (Sclater, PL, 1857).
The piratic flycatcher is 14.5 to 17 cm (5.7 to 6.7 in) long and weighs 19 to 26 g (0.67 to 0.92 oz). The sexes and the subspecies have the same plumage though subspecies L. l. variegatus is significantly larger than the nominate. Adults have a blackish forehead and crown with a partially hidden yellow patch on the latter. They have a wide dull whitish supercilium that extends... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Piratic Flycatcher in Irazú Volcano National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Irazú Volcano National Park
Mountain Elaenia
Elaenia frantzii
Black-capped Flycatcher
Empidonax atriceps
Tropical Kingbird
Tyrannus melancholicus
Olive-sided Flycatcher
Contopus cooperi
Social Flycatcher
Myiozetetes similis
Yellowish Flycatcher
Empidonax flavescens
Black Phoebe
Sayornis nigricans
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Contopus virens
Guatemalan Paltry Tyrannulet
Zimmerius vilissimus
Great Kiskadee
Pitangus sulphuratus
Dark Pewee
Contopus lugubris
Yellow-bellied Elaenia
Elaenia flavogaster
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.