Photo by Harald Kocksch

ORDER: Passeriformes
FAMILY: Tyrannidae
WHITE-CRESTED ELAENIA
Elaenia albiceps chilensis ( Hellmayr )

Fio-fio

Version en español

LOCAL NAMES:
Fio-fio, chiflador, huiro, silbador

DISTRIBUTION IN CHILE:
Summer and breeder visitor between Atacama and Tierra del Fuego (October to March). In winter to northwards Southamerica.

HABITAT:
Forests, plantations, gardens, orchards.

DESCRIPTION:
Size: 6 in.
Ash-colored head with feathers on crown something lengthened and whitish central stain . Upper parts ash gray with olive tone. Throat, neck and chest clearer than upper parts. Whitish abdomen. Dark wings with light olive tone; secondaries with whitish external edges, forming two white transversal bands. Dark tail. Dark bill and legs.

Fiofio
Temuco

Photo by Roberto Cañete


        White-crested elaenia is one of the most abundant and better known species of the territory, being found from Atacama to Tierra del Fuego and to up to 6.600 feet.. However, it's a summer visitor, since in autumn fly northward of South America to the Amazonian zone of Peru and Brazil, arriving occasionally until Colombia, for to return again between September and October and not only in Chile, but also in Argentina until the patagonic zone, Tierra del Fuego and Isla de los Estados.

        Hard to see it because likes to go between the trees and shrubs foliage, but its characteristic monosillabical sing, same to "fio - fio - fio", accuses it immediately. Its food is mainly insects, but also eats seeds, berries and tender buds of fruit trees.

        Normally it nestle in November in a nest put on some dense shrub or on a forked branches of a young pine, not very high. This consists of a comfortable cup made with grasss, leaves and moss, and covered with feathers. The nestful contains normally 3 eggs (sometimes 2) white with reddish pints. Average size of 20 x 15 mm.


Immature

Photo by Harald Kocksch

MODEST ELAENIA
Elaenia albiceps modesta ( Tschudi )

Fio-fio peruano

LOCAL NAMES:
---------

DISTRIBUTION IN CHILE:
Tarapaca's oasis

DESCRIPTION:
Size: 6 in.




Different of White-crested elaenia by a less notorious white on the crest, and the few visible white transversal bars of the wings.

Resident bird at the arid coastal zone of Peru, its migrations are in smaller scale that E. a chilensis; it's possible to find it to Lima (Peru) inner zone in winter. Though less abundant in Chile, its yell and habits are identical to White-crested elaenia.

Photo by Martin Reid
Lluta's valley, Arica, Nov. 1993


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