Birdsong field guide
Choco Elaenia
Myiopagis parambae
A small, inconspicuous flycatcher of the humid tropical canopy, the Choco Elaenia is a localized specialist of the Chocó bioregion.
What it sounds like
A thin, high-pitched, descending series of whistled notes, often described as a clear 'psee-psee-psee-psee'.
Reference call, compare with what you heard
No reference call found yet · Xeno-canto
Field notes
- It was formerly treated as a subspecies of the Grey-capped Elaenia (Myiopagis caniceps) but is now recognized as a distinct species based on vocal and plumage differences.
- Males exhibit a greyish crown that contrasts with an olive-green back, while females are more uniformly olive-toned.
- The species possesses a semi-concealed white or pale yellow crown patch that is typically visible only when the bird is excited or displaying.
- It is primarily an inhabitant of the high canopy, where it forages for small insects and berries, often joining mixed-species flocks.
- Unlike many other elaenias, it tends to stay well above the mid-story, making it one of the more difficult members of its genus to observe from the ground.
Habitat
Canopy and edges of humid lowland and foothill evergreen forests.
Range
Humid lowlands of western Colombia and northwestern Ecuador.
Similar & commonly confused birds
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