White-tailed Tyrannulet

The White-tailed Tyrannulet (Mecocerculus poecilocercus) occurs on both slopes of the Ecuadorian Andes, inhabiting humid montane evergreen forests and cloud forests typically between 1,500 and 2,500 meters. It is generally uncommon but regularly encountered, often seen in pairs or small groups gleaning insects from mossy branches and tree-ferns, and frequently joins mixed-species flocks in the canopy and forest edges. The species is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, with a stable population across its Andean range from Colombia to Peru. Natural history observations highlight its subtle plumage, active foraging behavior, and insectivorous diet, though its breeding biology in Ecuador remains poorly documented.