Royal flycatcher


The royal flycatchers are a genus, Onychorhynchus, of passerine birds in the family Tityridae according to the IOC. Other taxonomic authorities including the AOU, Clements, and the IUCN, include it in Tyrannidae. Depending on authority, it includes a single widespread, or four more localized species. The specific epithet of the type species, coronatus, and the common name of all the species in this genus, royal flycatcher, refer to the striking, colourful crest, which is seen displayed very rarely, except after mating, while preening, in courtship as well as being handled.
The genus contains four species:
ImageScientific nameCommon NameDistribution
Onychorhynchus coronatusAmazonian royal flycatcherAmazon basin in northern Bolivia, eastern Peru, eastern Ecuador, eastern Colombia, Venezuela, the Guianas, and northern and western Brazil
Onychorhynchus mexicanusNorthern royal flycatcherMexico, south through most of Central America, to northwestern Colombia and far western Venezuela
Onychorhynchus occidentalisPacific royal flycatcherWestern Ecuador and far northwestern Peru
Onychorhynchus swainsoniAtlantic royal flycatcherAtlantic forest in southeastern Brazil