Pied Water Tyrant
Fluvicola pica
Pied Water Tyrant (Fluvicola pica) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Central America & Caribbean.
Found across 8 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Pied Water Tyrant (Fluvicola pica) is a member of the Tyrannidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and South America. Adults weigh 12.3 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 Tyrannidae Tyrant Flycatchers, Calyptura
- Genus Fluvicola
- Species pica
Quick facts
- Weight
- 12.3 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Tyrannidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Pied Water Tyrant is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of wetlands, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Pied Water Tyrant is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Pied Water Tyrant (Fluvicola pica) is a species of bird in the Tyrannidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It is found across Central America & Caribbean and South America. Its distribution covers MA, SA Panama to the Guianas and n Brazil.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 12.3 g, with a wing length of about 6.4 cm and a tail of around 4.9 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 1.7 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Pied Water Tyrant?
The Pied Water Tyrant is a very small bird that weighs around 12.3 g.
Where does the Pied Water Tyrant live?
The Pied Water Tyrant is found across Central America & Caribbean and South America with a range covering MA, SA Panama to the Guianas and n Brazil, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Pied Water Tyrant belong to?
The Pied Water Tyrant (Fluvicola pica) belongs to the Tyrannidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Pied Water Tyrant eat?
The Pied Water Tyrant is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Pied Water Tyrant migrate?
The Pied Water Tyrant is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Pied 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 Pied Water Tyrant make?
1 real field recording of the Pied 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 Pied Water Tyrant's range?
The Pied Water Tyrant has a mapped global range of about 1.7 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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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.