Rufous Mourner

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Rufous Mourner
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Tyrannidae
Genus: Rhytipterna
Species: R. holerythra
Binomial name
Rhytipterna holerythra
(Sclater & Salvin, 1860)

The Rufous Mourner, Rhytipterna holerythra, is a small passerine bird in the tyrant flycatcher family. It breeds from southwestern Mexico to northwestern Ecuador. It was formerly believed to be a cotinga, but its anatomy shows it to be related to the Myiarchus flycatchers[citation needed].

The Rufous Mourner is 20 cm long and weighs 40 g. Its plumage is entirely rufous, brighter on the underparts, and with darker brown wings. The base of the bill is pink or horn-coloured. The call is a drawling way teeer and the song is wee hi hi weeur-weeur-weeur.

This bird is found in lowlands and foothills up to 1200 m altitude in wet forests, adjacent old second growth, semi-open areas and shady plantations. The Rufous Mourner is seen alone, in family groups or as part of a mixed-species feeding flock. It perches on a twig from which it sallies forth to catch large insects and caterpillars and many seeds and fruit[1]. All[verification needed] the food is taken in flight.

The nest is unknown, but is suspected to be built in a cavity like those of its Myiarchus relatives.

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ E.g. of Gumbo-limbo (Bursera simaruba), and less frequently from Cymbopetalum mayanum (Annonaceae): Foster (2007)

[edit] References