Identification
Small, grayish flycatcher with a thin, white eyebrow and buffy wingbars. Plumage is variable throughout its range; belly can be white or pale yellow, and back can be gray or olive. Its crest is sometimes raised showing a white stripe on the crown, and other times it is laid flat with the stripe hidden, giving it a round-headed appearance. Very similar to Straneck’s Tyrannulet; white crown stripe (if seen) can help separate them, but voice is often the only reliable method in areas of overlap. Some vocalizations include a quick burst of dry chips, a sharp “pip, wi-di-dit”, and longer series of chirps and rattles. Prefers open habitats such as scrub, overgrown clearings, and woodland edge; not found inside mature forest. Migratory in parts of its range. Pale-bellied birds used to be considered a separate species, White-bellied Tyrannulet.