Fire-eyed Diucon

About the Fire-eyed Diucon

The fire-eyed diucon (Pyrope pyrope) is a passerine bird of South America belonging to the tyrant flycatcher family Tyrannidae. It is found in Argentina and Chile and as a vagrant to the Falkland Islands. The fire-eyed diucon has a complicated taxonomic history. It was formally described in 1830 as "Muscicapa Pyrope". In 1860 it was moved to the newly erected genus Pyrope and then in 1927 to genus Xolmis. In 1970 one author returned it to Pyrope while others retained it in Xolmis. Two genetic studies published in 2020 showed that it did belong to Pyrope. Taxonomic systems began making the change in 2021. However, as of December 2024 BirdLife International's Handbook of the Birds of the World retained the species in Xolmis.

The fire-eyed diucon is the only member of genus Pyrope. It has two subspecies, the nominate P. p. pyrope (Kittlitz, 1830) and P. p. fortis (Philippi Bañados & Johnson, AW, 1946). The fire-eyed diucon is 18.5 to 21.5 cm (7.3 to 8.5 in) long and weighs 31 to 50 g (1.1 to 1.8 oz). The sexes have the same plumage. Adults of the nominate subspecies have a dark gray crown, face, and upperparts. Their primary coverts and... Wikipedia →