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Cocos Island Flycatcher

Physical Characteristics
 

  • Around 13cm in length

  • Weighs around 11 grams

  • Long two-tone bill

    • Bill tip is dark

  • Dark brown eyes

  • Legs and feet are grey

  • Greyish to dark brownish-olive upperparts and head

    • Wings and tail are darker

  • Yellowish to greyish-buff underparts

    • Olive tinge on breast

  • Both genders are similar in size, shape, and color

  • A juvenile has browner plumage

 

 

Habitat
 

  • Cocos Flycatcher is found on Cocos Island

  • Lives in various habitats from sea-level to 575 meters in elevation

  • Habitats include:

    • Humid forests

    • Forest edges

    • Scrub

    • Swampy areas

    • Secondary growth

Songs and Calls
 

  • Has a chatter of 6-9 syllables

  • Also has a group of "tic" notes which is followed up by another trill of 7-10 syllables

  • Female has one song

    • An sequence of 9-10 notes followed by softer sounds

  • Both mates often perform duets

 

 

Behavior
 

  • Feeds primarily on insects and spiders

    • Occasionaly eats some fruits and seeds depending on the season

  • Looks for food well above the ground in thick vegetation

  • Mates have long-term bonds

    • Stay together all year round

    • The male sings and performs during the mating season

  • They defend their territory

 

 

Other Facts
 

  • Latin name is Nesotriccus ridgwayi

  • The Cocos Flycatcher population is stable but due to its small range, it is listed as a Vulnerable specie

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