Russet-crowned Warbler Myiothlypis coronata Scientific name definitions

Widespread and generally fairly common through much of the Andean chain, the Russet-crowned Warbler is found from Colombia and northwest Venezuela south to central Bolivia. Some eight subspecies are presently considered valid, and these forms two groups (white-bellied and yellow-bellied). However, ‘white-bellied’ birds are actually more gray than white below. All subspecies have olive-green upperparts, a largely gray head, with a rufous central crown stripe narrowly bordered black, and a narrow black eyestripe. The Russet-crowned Warbler is speculated to form a superspecies with the White-lored Warbler (Basileuterus conspicillatus), and was formerly treated as part of the same species with both Gray-throated Warbler (Basileuterus cinereicollis), and the White-lored Warbler.

14 cm; 13·5–19·5 g. Nominate race has central crownstripe orange-rufous (feathers may be tipped olive in fresh plumage), bordered laterally with black, rest of head grey, with long, narrow black eyestripe; upperparts olive-green with slight bronze tinge; throat greyish-white, underparts yellow; iris dark; bill blackish-grey; legs orange-flesh. Sexes similar. Juvenile has olive-brown head, upperparts and breast, obscure cinnamon wingbars on greater and median upperwing-coverts, with belly pale buffy yellow, flanks and undertail-coverts more olive-buff; first-year similar to adult, but olive feather tips in central crown­stripe may be more extensive, more study needed. Races differ mainly in tone of upperparts and, variably, of underparts, two races distinctively paler below: notia is similar to nominate but smaller, with upperparts somewhat darker and lacking bronze tinge, underparts deeper yellow; inaequalis is slightly smaller than nominate, upperparts more olive-green (no bronze tinge); chapmani has rather pale bronze-olive upper­parts (most prominent on edges of wing and tail feathers), is uniformly greyish-white below; castaneiceps resembles previous, but upperparts greyish-olive, rather than bronze-olive; <em>orientalis</em> is closest to preceding race, but slightly greener above and, below, intermediate between that race and "yellow-bellied group", having pale greyish-white throat  and breast grading into pale yellowish on lower underparts; <em>elata</em> is like nominate, but crownstripe slightly more orange, upperparts more olive-green (without bronze tinge), and less sharp contrast between grey throat and olive-yellow breast; regulus resembles last in crownstripe colour, but upperparts tinged bronze (similar to nominate).

Editor's Note: This article requires further editing work to merge existing content into the appropriate Subspecies sections. Please bear with us while this update takes place.

Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Probably feeds mainly, if not entirely, on invertebrates . Forages mainly by gleaning at low to middle levels, mainly at 1–6 m, occasionally higher. Pairs or family parties often join mixed-species foraging flocks.

Song  a fast series  of 6–8 stuttering but musical "chee" notes, varying in pitch, and often terminating with buzzy upslurred trill or warble; pairs often duet, one partner answering the other. Calls  include short, high "trilip" or "tridilip" and buzzy ascending "bzhreeep".

Eggs laid in Sept in Ecuador (one nest), where also an incubating adult recorded in Nov; birds in breeding condition Feb–Oct (mainly May–Jun) in Colombia, and recently fledged young seen in May, Jun, Sept and Oct in W Colombia; juveniles observed in Feb and Aug in C Peru. Nest a domed structure with side entrance, made from leaves, mosses, rootlets and fine sticks, lined with fine grass and tree-fern scales, placed on or very near ground. Clutch 2 eggs. No other information.