Stub-tailed Spadebill
NameStub-tailed Spadebill
Common NameStub-tailed Spadebill
Scientific NamePlatyrinchus cancrominus
FamilyTyrannidae
Wingspan (cm)15
Length (cm)9.5
Weight (g)8.5
Plumage DetailsOlive-brown upperparts, dark crown with a faint rufous-orange central crown patch (often concealed), pale supercilium, dark ear coverts, white throat, and yellowish underparts. The broad, flat bill is dark above and pale below.
Vocalization / CallA high-pitched, thin, insect-like 'tseet' or a series of 'swee-swee-swee' notes.
Primary Dietinsectivore
Primary Habitatsforest
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Geographic RangeFound from southern Mexico (Veracruz, Oaxaca, Chiapas) through Central America (Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama) to northern Colombia.
Identifying Featuresextremely broad, flat bill, short tail, dark crown with pale supercilium, small size, olive-brown upperparts, yellowish underparts
Description
A tiny, short-tailed flycatcher characterized by its remarkably broad, flat bill, which it uses to catch insects. It typically perches low in the understory of humid forests, often flicking its tail while foraging.
