Phylloscartes

Phylloscartes is a genus of small birds in the family Tyrannidae. They are found in wooded habitats of Central and South America. They mainly feed on small arthropods, and most commonly take part in mixed species flocks. The mottled-cheeked tyrannulet is among the commonest birds in its range, but several other species are rare and threatened. Their plumage is predominantly green, yellow, white and grey, and many have contrasting facial patterns and wing-bars. They have thin, pointed bills, and relatively long tails. Most frequently cock their tail, perch relatively horizontally and are very active.

The genus Pogonotriccus has usually been merged into Phylloscartes. In 2004 John Fitzpatrick in the Handbook of the Birds of the World chose to treat Pogonotriccus as a separate genus based on the slight differences in behaviour of the birds in the two genera. Frank Gill and David Donsker then also recognised Pogonotriccus in the list of bird species that they maintain on behalf of the International Ornithological Committee. The evidence for splitting the genus is weak: a 2009 molecular phylogenetic study that included one species from Pogonotriccus and three from Phylloscartes, found that the genetic differences were small.

Species

The genus contains 14 species:

Image	Common name	Scientific name	Distribution
File:Phylloscartes ventralis - Mottle-checked tyrannulet; Monteiro Lobato, São Paulo, Brazil.jpg	Mottle-cheeked tyrannulet	Phylloscartes ventralis	south-eastern Brazil, eastern Paraguay, north-eastern Argentina and Uruguay, Peru, Bolivia and north-western Argentina
File:Phylloscartes ceciliae Alagoas Tyrannulet; Pedra d'Antas reserve, Lagoa dos Gatos, Pernambuco, Brazil.jpg	Alagoas tyrannulet	Phylloscartes ceciliae	eastern Brazil
File:Phylloscartes kronei - Restinga tyrannulet (cropped).JPG	Restinga tyrannulet	Phylloscartes kronei	Brazil
	Bahia tyrannulet	Phylloscartes beckeri	state of Bahia in eastern Brazil
File:Phylloscartes flavovirens - Yellow-green Tyrannulet; Panamá.jpg	Panama tyrannulet	Phylloscartes flavovirens	Panama
File:Phylloscartes virescens Olive-green Tyrannulet; Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil (cropped).jpg	Olive-green tyrannulet	Phylloscartes virescens	Guianas of Suriname, French Guiana, and eastern Guyana, with the Essequibo River; also northeast Brazil
File:Ecuadorian Tyrannulet - South Ecuador S4E0296 (16685960400) (cropped).jpg	Ecuadorian tyrannulet	Phylloscartes gualaquizae	Ecuador and northern Peru
File:Phylloscartes nigrifons - Black-fronted Tyrannulet.jpg	Black-fronted tyrannulet	Phylloscartes nigrifrons	southern Venezuela
File:Phylloscartes superciliaris.jpg	Rufous-browed tyrannulet	Phylloscartes superciliaris	Venezuela
	Rufous-lored tyrannulet	Phylloscartes flaviventris	Venezuela
File:Cinnamon-faced Tyrannulet - Manu NP - Perù 7710 (16666057107).jpg	Cinnamon-faced tyrannulet	Phylloscartes parkeri	Peru and Bolivia
File:P. rouqettei geraldo m pereira.JPG	Minas Gerais tyrannulet	Phylloscartes roquettei	Brazil
File:Phylloscartes oustaleti - Oustalet's Tyrannulet (cropped).jpg	Oustalet's tyrannulet	Phylloscartes oustaleti	Atlantic forest
File:Phylloscartes sylviolus.jpeg	Bay-ringed tyrannulet	Phylloscartes sylviolus	Atlantic forest

Conservation

Four species in this genus are endangered according to the IUCN. These are: Phylloscartes roquettei, Phylloscartes beckeri, Phylloscartes ceciliae and Phylloscartes lanyoni.

References

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