Photo: JimSPeru / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
White-crested Elaenia
Elaenia albiceps
White-crested Elaenia (Elaenia albiceps) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South America.
Found across 16 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The White-crested Elaenia (Elaenia albiceps) is a member of the Tyrannidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 15.5 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 albiceps
Quick facts
- Weight
- 15.5 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Tyrannidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The White-crested 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 White-crested Elaenia is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The White-crested Elaenia (Elaenia albiceps) is a member of the Tyrannidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It is found across South America. Its distribution covers SA widespread.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 15.5 g, with a wing length of about 7.5 cm and a tail of around 7 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 2.2 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the White-crested Elaenia?
The White-crested Elaenia is a small bird that weighs around 15.5 g.
Where does the White-crested Elaenia live?
The White-crested Elaenia is found across South America with a range covering SA widespread, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the White-crested Elaenia belong to?
The White-crested Elaenia (Elaenia albiceps) belongs to the Tyrannidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the White-crested Elaenia eat?
The White-crested Elaenia is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the White-crested Elaenia migrate?
The White-crested Elaenia is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the White-crested 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 White-crested Elaenia make?
1 real field recording of the White-crested 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 White-crested Elaenia's range?
The White-crested Elaenia has a mapped global range of about 2.2 million 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
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