Photo: Evaldo Resende / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Masked Water Tyrant
Fluvicola nengeta
Masked Water Tyrant (Fluvicola nengeta) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South America.
Found across 10 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Masked Water Tyrant (Fluvicola nengeta) is a member of the Tyrannidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 21 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 Fluvicola
- Species nengeta
Quick facts
- Weight
- 21 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Tyrannidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Masked Water Tyrant is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of wetlands, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Masked Water Tyrant is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Masked Water Tyrant (Fluvicola nengeta) is a member of the Tyrannidae family, within the order Passeriformes. Its range spans South America. Its distribution covers SA w Ecuador, nw Peru and e Brazil.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 21 g, with a wing length of about 7.1 cm and a tail of around 6.4 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 3.6 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Masked Water Tyrant?
The Masked Water Tyrant is a small bird that weighs around 21 g.
Where does the Masked Water Tyrant live?
The Masked Water Tyrant is found across South America with a range covering SA w Ecuador, nw Peru and e Brazil, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Masked Water Tyrant belong to?
The Masked Water Tyrant (Fluvicola nengeta) belongs to the Tyrannidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Masked Water Tyrant eat?
The Masked Water Tyrant is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Masked Water Tyrant migrate?
The Masked Water Tyrant is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Masked Water Tyrant 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 Masked Water Tyrant make?
1 real field recording of the Masked Water Tyrant — 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 Masked Water Tyrant's range?
The Masked Water Tyrant has a mapped global range of about 3.6 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
Endangered
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
More in Songbirds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Endangered
Least Concern
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.