Lesser Elaenia (Elaenia chiriquensis)
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Lesser Elaenia

Elaenia chiriquensis Lawrence, 1865

13–14 cmLength15 gWeight

The lesser elaenia (Elaenia chiriquensis) is a species of bird in subfamily Elaeniinae of family Tyrannidae, the tyrant flycatchers.

Busiest months: March · Most records: Panama, Colombia, Brazil

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Busiest months: March · Most records: Panama, Colombia, Brazil

Lesser Elaenia has been recorded at 251 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 12 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Parque Tematico Cafetero Finca La Pedregoza, San Antonio del TequendamaColombia555 records
  2. Wilson Botanical GardenCosta Rica269 records
  3. La Alqueria Bird Watching StationColombia266 records
More places
  1. Paraíso Birding ParadisePanama260 records
  2. Cara IguanaPanama240 records
  3. Finca CántarosCosta Rica203 records
  4. Botumirim – Reserva Natural Rolinha-do-planaltoBrazil160 records
  5. Surama EcoLodgeGuyana140 records
  6. Humedal Lagunas de VolcánPanama135 records
  7. Altos del Maria – Elevación 900-1100 msnmPanama135 records

Countries and regions with the most records

PanamaColombiaBrazilCosta RicaGuyanaPeruVenezuelaBolivia

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The lesser elaenia (Elaenia chiriquensis) is a species of bird in subfamily Elaeniinae of family Tyrannidae, the tyrant flycatchers. It is found in Costa Rica, Panama, on Trinidad, in every mainland South American country except Chile and Uruguay, and as a vagrant on Bonaire and Curaçao.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Lesser Elaenia?

The Lesser Elaenia is about 13–14 cm long and weighs around 15 g.

Where does the Lesser Elaenia live?

Its breeding range: Middle America, South America: Costa Rica to northeastern Argentina. It is most often recorded in Panama, Colombia and Brazil.

When is the best time to see the Lesser Elaenia?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in March (Northern Hemisphere).

Is the Lesser Elaenia endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Lesser Elaenia as Least Concern.

What does the Lesser Elaenia eat?

Main food: Omnivore.

What family is the Lesser Elaenia in?

It belongs to the family Tyrant Flycatchers, Calyptura (Tyrannidae), order Passerines (Passeriformes).

At a glance

Length
13–14 cm
Weight
15 g
Habitat
Shrubland
Diet
Omnivore
Lifestyle
Perches in trees
Migration
Partial migrant
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
72 mm
Tail
62 mm
Bill
13 mm
Tarsus
16 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Middle America, South America: Costa Rica to northeastern Argentina

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Order
Passerines Passeriformes
Genus
Elaenia

Other birds in the genus Elaenia

Yellow-bellied ElaeniaYellow-bellied ElaeniaElaenia flavogasterCaribbean ElaeniaCaribbean ElaeniaElaenia martinicaLarge ElaeniaLarge ElaeniaElaenia spectabilisNoronha ElaeniaNoronha ElaeniaElaenia ridleyanaWhite-crested ElaeniaWhite-crested ElaeniaElaenia albicepsChilean ElaeniaChilean ElaeniaElaenia chilensisSmall-billed ElaeniaSmall-billed ElaeniaElaenia parvirostrisOlivaceous ElaeniaOlivaceous ElaeniaElaenia mesoleucaSlaty ElaeniaSlaty ElaeniaElaenia streperaMottle-backed ElaeniaMottle-backed ElaeniaElaenia gigasBrownish ElaeniaBrownish ElaeniaElaenia pelzelniPlain-crested ElaeniaPlain-crested ElaeniaElaenia cristata
Lesser Elaenia

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Luca Boscain. ↗

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