Tityridae – Tityras, Becards & Allies

Cinnamon Becard Pachyramphus cinnamomeus ©John Afdem Website

The Tityridae is a family of suboscine passerines found in forest and woodland in the Neotropics. The approximately 45 species in this family were formerly spread over the families Tyrannidae, Pipridae and Cotingidae (see Taxonomy). Latterly several other species have been added from other groups. As yet, no widely accepted common name exists for the family, although tityras and allies and tityras, becards and allies are used. They are small to medium-sized birds. Under current classification, the family ranges in size from the Buff-throated Purpletuft, at 9.5cm and 10 grams, to the Masked Tityra, at up to 22cm and 88 grams. Most have relatively short tails and large heads.

Following DNA sequencing the Tityridae has been delineated to accommodate the Tityras, Becards and allies, including, most recently the Sharpbill formerly believed to be a family by itself. Those genera placed in the family Tityridae are more closely related to the manakins (Pipridae) than to the cotingas (Cotingidae).

Species List

The 45 species are set out below:

Sharpbill Oxyruncus cristatus

Amazonian Royal Flycatcher Onychorhynchus coronatus
Northern Royal Flycatcher Onychorhynchus mexicanus
Pacific Royal Flycatcher Onychorhynchus occidentalis
Atlantic Royal Flycatcher Onychorhynchus swainsoni

Tawny-breasted Myiobius Myiobius villosus
Sulphur-rumped Myiobius Myiobius sulphureipygius
Whiskered Myiobius Myiobius barbatus
Black-tailed Myiobius Myiobius atricaudus

Ruddy-tailed Flycatcher Terenotriccus erythrurus

Black-crowned Tityra Tityra inquisitor
Black-tailed Tityra Tityra cayana
Masked Tityra Tityra semifasciata

Varzea Schiffornis Schiffornis major
Guianan Schiffornis Schiffornis olivacea
Northern Schiffornis Schiffornis veraepacis
Foothill Schiffornis Schiffornis aenea
Russet-winged Schiffornis Schiffornis stenorhyncha
Brown-winged Schiffornis Schiffornis turdina
Greenish Schiffornis Schiffornis virescens

Speckled Mourner Laniocera rufescens
Cinereous Mourner Laniocera hypopyrra

Buff-throated Purpletuft Iodopleura pipra
Dusky Purpletuft Iodopleura fusca
White-browed Purpletuft Iodopleura isabellae

Brazilian Laniisoma Laniisoma elegans
Andean Laniisoma Laniisoma buckleyi

White-naped Xenopsaris Xenopsaris albinucha

Green-backed Becard Pachyramphus viridis
Yellow-cheeked Becard Pachyramphus xanthogenys
Barred Becard Pachyramphus versicolor
Slaty Becard Pachyramphus spodiurus
Cinereous Becard Pachyramphus rufus
Chestnut-crowned Becard Pachyramphus castaneus
Cinnamon Becard Pachyramphus cinnamomeus
White-winged Becard Pachyramphus polychopterus
Black-capped Becard Pachyramphus marginatus
Black-and-white Becard Pachyramphus albogriseus
Grey-collared Becard Pachyramphus major
Glossy-backed Becard Pachyramphus surinamus
One-colored Becard Pachyramphus homochrous
Pink-throated Becard Pachyramphus minor
Crested Becard Pachyramphus validus
Rose-throated Becard Pachyramphus aglaiae
Jamaican Becard Pachyramphus niger

Species Links
  • Cinnamon Becard Pachyramphus cinnamomeus

    Species Account
    Sound archive and distribution map.
  • Cinnamon Becard Pachyramphus cinnamomeus

    Video
    Fatbirder's own digi-vid in Panama…
  • Cinnamon Becard Pachyramphus cinnamomeus

    Species Account
    The cinnamon becard (Pachyramphus cinnamomeus) is a passerine bird found in Latin America.
  • Cinnamon Becard Pachyramphus cinnamomeus

    Cornell Species Account
    The Cinnamon Becard recalls, to some extent, the basically allopatric Chestnut-crowned Becard (Pachyramphus castaneus) in being sexually monomorphic and possessing largely rufous-brown plumage, but is distinguished by the lack of the prominent gray head sides that emphasize the chestnut crown in P. castaneus.
  • Sharpbill Oxyruncus cristatus

    Species Account
    Images and notes
  • Sharpbill Oxyruncus cristatus

    Species Account
    Sound archive and distribution map.
  • Sharpbill Oxyruncus cristatus

    Species Account
    The sharpbill (Oxyruncus cristatus) is a small bird. Its range is from the mountainous areas of tropical South America and southern Central America (Panama and Costa Rica).
  • Sharpbill Oxyruncus cristatus

    Cornell Species Account
Number of Species
  • Number of bird species: 45

Other Links
  • Cinnamon Becard Pachyramphus cinnamomeus

    Website
    Fatbirder's own video footage…

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