Photo: Michael Woodruff / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Spectacled Whitestart
Myioborus melanocephalus
Spectacled Whitestart (Myioborus melanocephalus) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South America.
Found across 6 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Spectacled Whitestart (Myioborus melanocephalus) is a member of the Parulidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 11.3 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 Parulidae New World Warblers
- Genus Myioborus
- Species melanocephalus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 11.3 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Parulidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Spectacled Whitestart 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 Spectacled Whitestart is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Spectacled Whitestart (Myioborus melanocephalus) belongs to the Parulidae family of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans South America. Its distribution covers SA s Colombia to n Bolivia.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 11.3 g, with a wing length of about 6.6 cm and a tail of around 6.7 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 186,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Spectacled Whitestart?
The Spectacled Whitestart is a very small bird that weighs around 11.3 g.
Where does the Spectacled Whitestart live?
The Spectacled Whitestart is found across South America with a range covering SA s Colombia to n Bolivia, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Spectacled Whitestart belong to?
The Spectacled Whitestart (Myioborus melanocephalus) belongs to the Parulidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Spectacled Whitestart eat?
The Spectacled Whitestart is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Spectacled Whitestart migrate?
The Spectacled Whitestart is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Spectacled Whitestart 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 Spectacled Whitestart make?
1 real field recording of the Spectacled Whitestart — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Spectacled Whitestart's range?
The Spectacled Whitestart has a mapped global range of about 186,000 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
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