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ELAENIAS (GENUS ELAENIA) (3 species). Neotropical genus of often notoriously similar

species, with species limits still poorly known. Often crested, with pale eyering or spectacles, pale

wingbars. Dawn songs repeated over and over, tirelessly. Elaenias mainly glean from foliage and often

eat berries.

YELLOW-BELLIED ELAENIA  Elaenia flavogaster 15–16.5cm. Bushy-crested

flycatcher of varied open and semi-open habitats, from overgrown grassy fields

to forest edge, often with fruiting shrubs. Can be inconspicuous, but at other

times perches atop bushes calling noisily; crest typically raised and conspicuous,

but can be held flattened. Gleans from foliage by short sallies, often eats berries.

Larger and bulkier than Lesser Elaenia with more conspicuous, white-based

spiky crest, showier habits; note voice. Juv. has shorter crest with little or no pale

base, buffy wingbars. SOUNDS:  Burry, overslurred drawling breéuh; hoarse

rhythmic bickering rreeahr-ch’reer…or bríka-weehr..., usually 3–5× in duets.

Dawn song a burry frrí-diyu or prri di-di-eu and variations, over and over. STATUS: Fairly common to

common on both slopes to 1800m, locally to 2200m; spreading with deforestation. (Mexico to S America.)

LESSER ELAENIA  Elaenia chiriquensis 13–14.5cm. Varied open and semi-

open habitats, from overgrown grassy fields and marshes to scrubby savanna,

forest edge, often with fruiting shrubs. Mainly at low to mid-levels, often

perched inconspicuously; gleans from foliage and often eats berries. Crest short

and relatively inconspicuous, with small whitish base; cf. larger and bulkier

Yellow-bellied Elaenia. Juv. duller overall, lacks crown patch, wingbars buffy.

SOUNDS: Sharply overslurred, slightly plaintive whistled wheéh, less often a

burry rreéu, shorter than drawl of Yellow-bellied. Dawn song a slightly burry

ch’wee or p’rieh repeated steadily and interspersed with short chatters, ch’wee

ch’wee ch’wee-chchchur ch’wee.…STATUS: Fairly common to uncommon in interior valleys of s. Pacific

slope, locally n. to Central Valley, to 1500m; spreading with deforestation. (Costa Rica to S America.)

MOUNTAIN ELAENIA  Elaenia frantzii 14–15cm. Humid highland forest and

edge, adjacent clearings with fruiting shrubs. Low to high, often sluggish and

inconspicuous; gleans from foliage and often eats berries. Notably drab: note

rounded to slightly bushy crown (not strongly crested), pale eyering, broad

whitish tertial edges. SOUNDS: Slightly burry whistled péeuh, falling away, and

strongly burry, overslurred bhíerr, occasionally doubled; burry bickering chatters

in interactions. Dawn song a slightly burry, overall rising chíliéh, repeated

steadily; might suggest a musical House Sparrow. STATUS: Common to fairly

common throughout in highlands, breeds mainly above 1200m in Northern

Mts., above 1800m in Central and Talamanca Mts.; variable Sep–Jan downslope movement to Pacific

foothills, when usually scarce or absent at highest elevations. (Mexico to nw. S America.)

NORTHERN SCRUB FLYCATCHER  Sublegatus arenarum 14–15cm. Medium-

size, small-billed flycatcher of mangroves; ranges to adjacent scrubby habitats.

Usually solitary and rather low, sometimes on mangrove roots. Sallies for insects

and fruit, and often pumps tail once or twice on landing. Distinctive but

unremarkable: note small black bill, bushy crest, elaenia-like plumage, habitat;

cf. much larger, longer-billed Panama Flycatcher (p. 322) of same habitat. Juv.

has pale fringes to head and upperparts, soon like adult. SOUNDS:  Slightly

squeaky whistled huweép; varied, squeaky nasal chatters when agitated. Dawn

song a steady alternation of simple whistled phrases, ch’weép feéu ch’weép feéu...,

1 phrase/1.5–3 secs. STATUS: Uncommon locally on n. Pacific coast. (Costa Rica

to nw. S America.)