Mottle-backed Elaenia (Elaenia gigas)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Mottle-backed Elaenia

Elaenia gigas Sclater, PL, 1871

18–18 cmLength31 gWeight

The mottle-backed elaenia (Elaenia gigas) is a species of bird in subfamily Elaeniinae of family Tyrannidae, the tyrant flycatchers.

Busiest months: October · Most records: Peru, Ecuador, Colombia

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Mottle-backed Elaenia has been recorded at 47 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 4 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge & Manu Paradise LodgePeru181 records
  2. Manu BiolodgePeru134 records
  3. Sacha LodgeEcuador129 records
More places
  1. Amazonía LodgePeru125 records
  2. Copalinga LodgeEcuador120 records
  3. Jardín de Colibries y Mirador Pico de HozPeru58 records
  4. Reserva Ecologica GuadalupePeru55 records
  5. PN Podocarpus – Sector Río BombuscaroEcuador51 records
  6. Sani LodgeEcuador50 records
  7. Cocha MachuhuasiPeru49 records

Countries and regions with the most records

PeruEcuadorColombiaBolivia

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 mottle-backed elaenia (Elaenia gigas) is a species of bird in subfamily Elaeniinae of family Tyrannidae, the tyrant flycatchers. It is found in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.

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

Questions

How big is the Mottle-backed Elaenia?

The Mottle-backed Elaenia is about 18–18 cm long and weighs around 31 g.

Where does the Mottle-backed Elaenia live?

Its breeding range: South America: southern Colombia to western Bolivia. It is most often recorded in Peru, Ecuador and Colombia.

When is the best time to see the Mottle-backed Elaenia?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in October (Southern Hemisphere).

Is the Mottle-backed Elaenia endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Mottle-backed Elaenia as Least Concern.

What does the Mottle-backed Elaenia eat?

Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.

What family is the Mottle-backed Elaenia in?

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

At a glance

Length
18–18 cm
Weight
31 g
Habitat
Shrubland
Diet
Insects & other invertebrates
Lifestyle
Perches in trees
Migration
Partial migrant
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
90 mm
Tail
74 mm
Bill
16 mm
Tarsus
19 mm

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

Range

South America: southern Colombia to western Bolivia

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 streperaBrownish ElaeniaBrownish ElaeniaElaenia pelzelniPlain-crested ElaeniaPlain-crested ElaeniaElaenia cristataLesser ElaeniaLesser ElaeniaElaenia chiriquensis
Mottle-backed Elaenia

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

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