Scale-crested Pygmy Tyrant (Lophotriccus pileatus)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Scale-crested Pygmy Tyrant

Lophotriccus pileatus (Tschudi, 1844)

8–10 cmLength7.5 gWeight

The scale-crested pygmy tyrant (Lophotriccus pileatus) is a species of bird in the family Tyrannidae, native to the American Cordillera.

Busiest months: February–March · Most records: Costa Rica, Ecuador, Colombia

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Scale-crested Pygmy Tyrant has been recorded at 225 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 7 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Arenal Observatory LodgeCosta Rica3,367 records
  2. Rancho NaturalistaCosta Rica1,720 records
  3. Hotel Tinamú Birding Nature ReserveColombia1,582 records
More places
  1. Reserva El CopalCosta Rica1,460 records
  2. Milpe Bird SanctuaryEcuador1,421 records
  3. Wilson Botanical GardenCosta Rica1,420 records
  4. WildSumaco LodgeEcuador1,418 records
  5. PN Tapanti – Sector TapantiCosta Rica1,334 records
  6. Finca CántarosCosta Rica1,282 records
  7. Las Heliconias Lodge and hanging bridgesCosta Rica1,245 records

Countries and regions with the most records

Costa RicaEcuadorColombiaPanamaPeruVenezuelaNicaragua

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 scale-crested pygmy tyrant (Lophotriccus pileatus) is a species of bird in the family Tyrannidae, native to the American Cordillera.

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

Questions

How big is the Scale-crested Pygmy Tyrant?

The Scale-crested Pygmy Tyrant is about 8–10 cm long and weighs around 7.5 g.

Where does the Scale-crested Pygmy Tyrant live?

Its breeding range: Middle America, South America: Costa Rica to northern Venezuela and southeastern Peru. It is most often recorded in Costa Rica, Ecuador and Colombia.

When is the best time to see the Scale-crested Pygmy Tyrant?

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

Is the Scale-crested Pygmy Tyrant endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Scale-crested Pygmy Tyrant as Least Concern.

What does the Scale-crested Pygmy Tyrant eat?

Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.

What family is the Scale-crested Pygmy Tyrant in?

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

At a glance

Length
8–10 cm
Weight
7.5 g
Habitat
Forest
Diet
Insects & other invertebrates
Lifestyle
Perches in trees
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
49 mm
Tail
39 mm
Bill
13 mm
Tarsus
15 mm

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

Range

Middle America, South America: Costa Rica to northern Venezuela and southeastern Peru

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Order
Passerines Passeriformes
Genus
Lophotriccus

Other birds in the genus Lophotriccus

Long-crested Pygmy TyrantLong-crested Pygmy TyrantLophotriccus eulophotesDouble-banded Pygmy TyrantDouble-banded Pygmy TyrantLophotriccus vitiosusHelmeted Pygmy TyrantHelmeted Pygmy TyrantLophotriccus galeatusGrey-headed PipritesGrey-headed PipritesPiprites griseicepsWing-barred PipritesWing-barred PipritesPiprites chlorisBlack-capped PipritesBlack-capped PipritesPiprites pileataGreenish TyrannuletGreenish TyrannuletPhyllomyias virescensReiser's TyrannuletReiser's TyrannuletPhyllomyias reiseriUrich's TyrannuletUrich's TyrannuletPhyllomyias urichiSclater's TyrannuletSclater's TyrannuletPhyllomyias sclateri
Scale-crested Pygmy Tyrant

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