Photo: Cláudio Dias Timm from Rio Grande do Sul / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Olivaceous Elaenia
Elaenia mesoleuca
Olivaceous Elaenia (Elaenia mesoleuca) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South America.
Found across 4 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Olivaceous Elaenia (Elaenia mesoleuca) is a member of the Tyrannidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 17.6 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 mesoleuca
Where it lives
Eastern Paraguay, northeastern Argentina and southern, southeastern Brazil
Quick facts
- Weight
- 17.6 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 Olivaceous Elaenia is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Olivaceous Elaenia is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Olivaceous Elaenia (Elaenia mesoleuca) is a species of bird in the Tyrannidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It is found across South America. Its distribution covers SA e Paraguay, ne Argentina and s, se Brazil.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 17.6 g, with a wing length of about 8 cm and a tail of around 6.6 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 Olivaceous Elaenia?
The Olivaceous Elaenia is a small bird that weighs around 17.6 g.
Where does the Olivaceous Elaenia live?
The Olivaceous Elaenia is found across South America with a range covering SA e Paraguay, ne Argentina and s, se Brazil, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Olivaceous Elaenia belong to?
The Olivaceous Elaenia (Elaenia mesoleuca) belongs to the Tyrannidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Olivaceous Elaenia eat?
The Olivaceous Elaenia is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Olivaceous Elaenia migrate?
The Olivaceous Elaenia is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Olivaceous 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 Olivaceous Elaenia make?
1 real field recording of the Olivaceous 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 Olivaceous Elaenia's range?
The Olivaceous 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.
Explore more birds
More in Tyrannidae
Least Concern
Least Concern
Not Evaluated
Least Concern
Least Concern
More in Songbirds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Endangered
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.