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 Podocarpus National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Podocarpus National Park
Slate-throated Redstart
Myioborus miniatus
Russet-crowned Warbler
Myiothlypis coronata
Black-crested Warbler
Myiothlypis nigrocristata
Citrine Warbler
Myiothlypis luteoviridis
Canada Warbler
Cardellina canadensis
Tropical Parula
Setophaga pitiayumi
Blackburnian Warbler
Setophaga fusca
Three-striped Warbler
Basileuterus tristriatus
Three-banded Warbler
Basileuterus trifasciatus
Buff-rumped Warbler
Myiothlypis fulvicauda
Black-lored Yellowthroat
Geothlypis auricularis
Gray-and-gold Warbler
Myiothlypis fraseri
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 Podocarpus National Park?
About 30% of wildlife watchers report a Spectacled Redstart sighting in Podocarpus National Park, based on 586 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Spectacled Redstart in Podocarpus National Park?
August has the highest sighting rate for Spectacled Redstart in Podocarpus National Park in our monthly data.