Forest Elaenia Gallery

Myiopagis gaimardii

The Birds of the World website offers these introductory words about the Forest Elaenia:  The Forest Elaenia is an inconspicuous little flycatcher that would generally go unnoticed in the forest canopy except for its whistled “peeet-sweet?” call with the first note level and the second rising. This call is also the best clue to identification. It closely resembles the other Myiopagis elaenias, with a gray crown, yellow coronal patch, olive upperparts, yellow underparts, and pale wing bars and edgings. All Myiopagis elaenias perch more horizontally than the larger Elaenia elaenias. It forages somewhat lethargically for arthropods in the canopy, often in association with mixed flocks. Five subspecies vary in the coloration of their upperparts and coronal patches.

I saw and photographed my first Forest Elaenia on August 19, 2023 in the Amazon Basin Region of Brazil.  Our small group with Jeff Parker Tours was at Southwild’s Fazenda São Nicolau located on the Juruena River west of Alta Floresta.  That morning we were up early for a boat ride  then headed over explore a trail that had an observation tower.  I saw the Forest Elaenia in the high canopy while I was on this tower.  For a more detailed description of the trip that included my sighting of this bird look at this blog post.  Here are some of my photos of this cute little flycatcher.