Photo: New Jersey Birds / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Caribbean Elaenia
Elaenia martinica
Caribbean Elaenia (Elaenia martinica) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of North America.
Found across 4 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Caribbean Elaenia (Elaenia martinica) is a member of the Tyrannidae family found in North America. Adults weigh 20.8 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Tyrannidae Tyrant Flycatchers, Calyptura
- Genus Elaenia
- Species martinica
Quick facts
- Weight
- 20.8 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Tyrannidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Near Threatened
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Caribbean Elaenia is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Caribbean Elaenia is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Caribbean Elaenia (Elaenia martinica) belongs to the Tyrannidae family of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across North America. Its distribution covers NA West Indies.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 20.8 g, with a wing length of about 7.8 cm and a tail of around 7.4 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 27,000 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Caribbean Elaenia?
The Caribbean Elaenia is a small bird that weighs around 20.8 g.
Where does the Caribbean Elaenia live?
The Caribbean Elaenia is found across North America with a range covering NA West Indies, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Caribbean Elaenia belong to?
The Caribbean Elaenia (Elaenia martinica) belongs to the Tyrannidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Caribbean Elaenia eat?
The Caribbean Elaenia is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Caribbean Elaenia migrate?
The Caribbean Elaenia is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Caribbean Elaenia endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Caribbean Elaenia make?
1 real field recording of the Caribbean Elaenia — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Caribbean Elaenia's range?
The Caribbean Elaenia has a mapped global range of about 27,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
Best Bird Feeders for Garden Songbirds
How to choose a bird feeder for garden songbirds — the feeder styles compared, the seed they prefer, where to hang it, and how to keep birds safe. A decision framework grounded in real data, with no mystery picks.
Meet the Tyrannidae
A field guide to the Tyrannidae family — 444 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.