The Bahia wagtail-tyrant (Stigmatura bahiae) is a species of bird in the family Tyrannidae, the tyrant flycatchers. It is endemic to eastern Brazil.[2]
| Bahia wagtail-tyrant | |
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Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Tyrannidae |
| Genus: | Stigmatura |
| Species: | S. bahiae
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| Binomial name | |
| Stigmatura bahiae Chapman, 1926
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Taxonomy and systematics
editWhat is now the Bahia wagtail-tyrant was originally described as Stigmatura budytoides bahiae, a subspecies of the greater wagtail-tyrant. What is now the lesser wagtail-tyrant (S. napensis) was described as another subspecies at the same time.[3] They were later treated as two subspecies of the lesser wagtail-tyrant. BirdLife International's Handbook of the Birds of the World separated them from each other as monotypic species in 2014.[4] The Clements taxonomy did so in late 2022 and the International Ornithological Committee in early 2023.[5][6] As of late 2024 the South American Classification Committee of the American Ornithological Society had not adopted the split.[7]
Description
editThe Bahia wagtail-tyrant is 13 cm (5.1 in) long. The sexes have the same plumage; males are slightly larger than females. Adults have a thin pale yellow supercilium and a dark line through the eye on an otherwise pale yellowish face. Their crown and upperparts are warm brownish. Their wings are dusky with wide white edges on the innermost flight feathers and the coverts; the last show as a large white patch on the closed wing. Their tail is long and dusky. The outer three pairs of feathers have large white ovals at their tips and the outermost have a wide yellowish white band at their base and white outer webs. Their throat and underparts are medium yellow with a slight olive to grayish olive tinge on the breast. Both sexes have a dark brown iris, a black bill, and black legs and feet.[8][9]
Distribution and habitat
editThe Bahia wagtail-tyrant is found in eastern Brazilian from Ceará south to Bahia. It inhabits semi-arid caatinga vegetation that typically is dense, brushy, and of low stature. It only rarely occurs in more open areas. In elevation it ranges from near sea level to about 500 m (1,600 ft).[8][9]
Behavior
editMovement
editThe Bahia wagtail-tyrant is believed to be a year-round resident.[8]
Feeding
editThe Bahia wagtail-tyrant's diet is not known in detail but is assumed to be mostly or entirely insects. Its foraging behavior is not well known but is described as similar to that of its former "parent" the lesser wagtail-tyrant. That species forages in pairs or family groups, actively moving through the vegetation with short pauses. It typically cocks its tail up and spreads the feathers which exposes the yellowish base and white tips; despite its name it does not wag its tail. It captures prey from leaves, twigs, and bark by gleaning while perched and with short sallies to hover-glean. The Bahia wagtail-tyrant is believed to drop to the ground to feed less often than the lesser.[8]
Breeding
editThe Bahia wagtail-tyrant appears to have an extended breeding season from August to perhaps May or June. Its nest is a cup made from sticks held together with spider silk and lined with finer material. It is typically well hidden in foliage up to about 1.5 m (5 ft) above the ground. The clutch is two or three eggs that are whitish with dark brown and purplish markings. The incubation period, time to fledging, and details of parental care are not known.[8]
Vocalization
editThe Bahia wagtail-tyrant sings from a perch in small bushes and mainly in the early morning and late afternoon. It sings "a lively rollicking asynchronous duet, one bird uttering a descending rattle, the other uttering repeatedly three melodious notes". The rattle has six to 10 descending notes at a fast pace. The melodeous part is "three different (but quite stereotypical) well-separated notes which sound like trree...tru...tuu (two notes burry and one pure and overslurred)" that is sometimes given without the duet's rattle.[8]
Status
editThe IUCN has assessed the Bahia wagtail-tyrant as being of Least Concern. It has a large range; its population size is not known and is believed to be stable. No immediate threats have been identified.[1] It is considered "reasonably common in suitable habitat".[8]
References
edit- ^ a b BirdLife International (2024). "Bahia Wagtail-tyrant Stigmatura bahiae". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2024: e.T22731687A263831918.
- ^ Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (August 2024). "Tyrant flycatchers". IOC World Bird List. v 14.2. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
- ^ Chapman, Frank M. (1926). "Descriptions of New Birds from Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, and Brazil". American Museum Novitates (231): 3–4.
- ^ BirdLife International (2014) The BirdLife checklist of the birds of the world: Version 7. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/userfiles/file/Species/Taxonomy/BirdLife_Checklist_Version_70.zip [.xls zipped 1 MB].
- ^ Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, T. A. Fredericks, J. A. Gerbracht, D. Lepage, S. M. Billerman, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2022. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2022.
- ^ Gill, F, D Donsker, and P Rasmussen (Eds). 2023. IOC World Bird List (v 13.1). Doi 10.14344/IOC.ML.13.1.
- ^ Remsen, J. V., Jr., J. I. Areta, E. Bonaccorso, S. Claramunt, G. Del-Rio, A. Jaramillo, D. F. Lane, M. B. Robbins, F. G. Stiles, and K. J. Zimmer. Version 28 September 2024. A classification of the bird species of South America. American Ornithological Society. https://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCBaseline.htm retrieved September 29, 2024
- ^ a b c d e f g Fitzpatrick, J. W., P. F. D. Boesman, and H. F. Greeney (2022). Bahia Wagtail-Tyrant (Stigmatura bahiae), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (S. M. Billerman and B. K. Keeney, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.leswat2.01 retrieved October 31, 2024
- ^ a b van Perlo, Ber (2009). A Field Guide to the Birds of Brazil. New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 298–299. ISBN 978-0-19-530155-7.