<trp-post-container data-trp-post-id='360410'>Three-striped Flycatcher

Open Bird Bucket List ↗
Three-striped Flycatcher

En bref

  • Scientific Name: Conopias trivirgatus
  • Spanish Name: Mosquero de tres rayas
  • Famille : Tyrannidae
  • Known Nicknames: Three-striped Flycatcher, Three-striped Conopias
  • Longueur moyenne : 13–14 cm / 5,1–5,5 pouces
  • Average Weight: 14–18 g / 0.49–0.63 oz
  • Envergure : N/A
  • Key Feature: White supercilium and malar stripe separated by a dark eye-line, giving a three-striped head pattern
  • Primary Diet: Insectivore (primarily insects, also some small fruits)
  • Range: Amazon Basin and Guianas (Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana)
  • Habitat: Lowland tropical rainforest, especially along rivers and in flooded forests (várzea)
  • Social Structure: Solitary or in pairs; occasionally joins mixed-species flocks
  • Nesting/Breeding: Cup-shaped nest placed in a tree fork or on a horizontal branch
  • Statut de conservation : Préoccupation mineure (LC)
  • Évolution démographique : Stable

The Three-striped Flycatcher (*Conopias trivirgatus*) is a striking songbird of Central and South American lowland forests, instantly recognizable by the bold, crisp pattern on its head: a bright white stripe runs above the eye, another white stripe sits below it, and a thick black stripe cuts through the eye itself, all set against a dark olive crown. Its general appearance is that of a medium-sized, active flycatcher with a pale yellow belly and olive-green back, but its true special feature lies in its voice—a loud, piercing, and somewhat nasal “*bee-bee-bee*” call that often betrays its presence high in the canopy. Unlike many flycatchers that simply wait on a perch for prey, this species is a restless forager, frequently sallying out to snatch insects from foliage or even hovering to pluck fruit, making it a dynamic and charismatic inhabitant of tropical forests.

Faits amusants

Despite its name, the three-striped flycatcher often joins mixed-species foraging flocks, acting as a noisy sentinel that alerts others to predators with sharp, metallic calls. It has a peculiar habit of vigorously flicking its wings and tail while perched, a motion thought to flush out hidden insects. Unlike many flycatchers, it builds a bulky, domed nest with a side entrance, sometimes reusing old nests of other birds. Its three bold white facial stripes—one above the eye, one below, and one on the cheek—are so distinct that they serve as an instant field mark, even in dense canopy.

Habitats et répartition

The Three-striped Flycatcher inhabits humid lowland and foothill forests, primarily within the Amazon Basin. It favors the canopy and edges of terra firme and várzea forests, as well as adjacent clearings with tall trees, and is often found near watercourses. Its geographical range extends across much of western and central Amazonia, including southern Venezuela, eastern Colombia, eastern Ecuador, eastern Peru, northern Bolivia, and the western half of the Brazilian Amazon.

Comportements & Reproduction

The Three-striped Flycatcher is typically observed in small, loose family groups or pairs, suggesting a monogamous social structure. Mating habits involve the male performing aerial displays and vocalizations to attract a female, with pairs often remaining together across multiple breeding seasons. The species constructs a cup-shaped nest in a tree cavity or fork, where the female lays a clutch of two to three eggs. A notable reproductive strategy is cooperative breeding, where non-breeding helpers, often offspring from previous broods, assist the breeding pair in feeding the nestlings and defending the territory. This behavior increases fledgling survival rates in the dense Amazonian forest understory.

Alimentation

The Three-striped Flycatcher is primarily insectivorous, with a diet heavily composed of a wide variety of flying insects such as flies, bees, wasps, and beetles, which it captures in mid-air using agile sallying flights from a perch. Interestingly, it also supplements this with small spiders and, occasionally, small fruits or berries, particularly during the non-breeding season when insect prey may be less abundant. A notable foraging behavior is its tendency to join mixed-species feeding flocks, where it actively gleans prey from the undersides of leaves and branches, a technique less common among typical flycatchers, allowing it to exploit a broader range of arthropod food sources.

Couleurs

The Three-striped Flycatcher has a dark olive-brown back and wings, with a bright yellow belly and throat. Its most distinctive feature is the bold black-and-white facial pattern: a white supercilium bordered above and below by two black stripes (one through the eye, one along the crown), with a white stripe down the center of its dark crown. It lacks unique camouflage, relying instead on this high-contrast head pattern for recognition in the forest understory.

Distribution Map

Places linked to this species. A sighting is never guaranteed.