Southern Scrub-Flycatcher

About the Southern Scrub-Flycatcher

The southern scrub flycatcher (Sublegatus modestus) is a species of bird in the family Tyrannidae, the tyrant flycatchers. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay. Other sources also place it in Guyana, Suriname, as a non-breeding visitor to Colombia, and as a vagrant in Ecuador.

What are now the southern scrub flycatcher, northern scrub flycatcher (S. arenarum), and Amazonian scrub flycatcher (S. obscurior) were previously members of the single species named scrub flycatcher with the binomial S. modestus. The further taxonomy of the three scrub flycatchers has not been fully resolved.

As of late 2024, the southern scrub flycatcher has two subspecies, the nominate S. m. modestus (Wied, 1831) and S. m. brevirostris (d'Orbigny & Lafresnaye, 1839). At least one author has treated the Amazonian scrub flycatcher as a third subspecies.

The southern scrub flycatcher is 13 to 15 cm (5.1 to 5.9 in) long and weighs 9.5 to 13 g (0.34 to 0.46 oz). The sexes have the same plumage. Adults of the nominate subspecies have a grayish brown crown that sometimes erects as a shaggy crest. Their face is mostly whitish to pale... Wikipedia →