Spectacled Whitestart (Myioborus melanocephalus)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Spectacled Whitestart

Myioborus melanocephalus (Tschudi, 1844)

13–14 cmLength11 gWeight

The spectacled whitestart or spectacled redstart (Myioborus melanocephalus) is a species of bird in the family Parulidae, the New World warblers.

Busiest months: February and October–November · Most records: Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Busiest months: February and October–November · Most records: Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia

Spectacled Whitestart has been recorded at 94 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 3 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Guango LodgeEcuador4,568 records
  2. Reserva YanacochaEcuador2,691 records
  3. Reserva Tapichalaca y Casa SimpsonEcuador1,353 records
More places
  1. ACP Abra Patricia – Owlet LodgePeru917 records
  2. Cabañas San IsidroEcuador905 records
  3. Papallacta – hot springs and road to Cayambe-CocaEcuador818 records
  4. PN El Cajas – Laguna Llaviucu, entrada y alrededoresEcuador818 records
  5. Reserva Zuro LomaEcuador696 records
  6. Bellavista Cloud Forest LodgeEcuador437 records
  7. Trocha Cresta de San LorenzoPeru369 records

Countries and regions with the most records

EcuadorPeruBolivia

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 spectacled whitestart or spectacled redstart (Myioborus melanocephalus) is a species of bird in the family Parulidae, the New World warblers. It is found from Colombia to Bolivia.

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

Questions

How big is the Spectacled Whitestart?

The Spectacled Whitestart is about 13–14 cm long and weighs around 11 g.

Where does the Spectacled Whitestart live?

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

When is the best time to see the Spectacled Whitestart?

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

Is the Spectacled Whitestart endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Spectacled Whitestart as Least Concern.

What does the Spectacled Whitestart eat?

Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.

What family is the Spectacled Whitestart in?

It belongs to the family New World Warblers (Parulidae), order Passerines (Passeriformes).

At a glance

Length
13–14 cm
Weight
11 g
Habitat
Forest
Diet
Insects & other invertebrates
Lifestyle
Perches in trees
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
66 mm
Tail
66 mm
Bill
13 mm
Tarsus
20 mm

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

Range

South America: southern Colombia to northern Bolivia

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Order
Passerines Passeriformes
Family
New World Warblers Parulidae
Genus
Myioborus

Other birds in the genus Myioborus

Painted WhitestartPainted WhitestartMyioborus pictusSlate-throated WhitestartSlate-throated WhitestartMyioborus miniatusBrown-capped WhitestartBrown-capped WhitestartMyioborus brunnicepsYellow-crowned WhitestartYellow-crowned WhitestartMyioborus flavivertexWhite-fronted WhitestartWhite-fronted WhitestartMyioborus albifronsGolden-fronted WhitestartGolden-fronted WhitestartMyioborus ornatusCollared WhitestartCollared WhitestartMyioborus torquatusParia WhitestartParia WhitestartMyioborus pariaeWhite-faced WhitestartWhite-faced WhitestartMyioborus albifaciesGuaiquinima WhitestartGuaiquinima WhitestartMyioborus cardonaiTepui WhitestartTepui WhitestartMyioborus castaneocapilla
Spectacled Whitestart

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

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