The tyrant flycatchers (Tyrannidae) are a family of passerine birds which occur throughout North and South America. They are considered the largest family of birds known to exist in the world, with more than 400 species. They are the most diverse avian family in every country in the Americas, except for the United States and Canada. The members vary greatly in shape, patterns, size and colors. Some tyrant flycatchers may superficially resemble the Old World flycatchers, which they are named after but are not closely related to. They are members of suborder Tyranni (suboscines), which do not have the sophisticated vocal capabilities of most other songbirds.
The genus Empidonax is a group of small insect-eating passerine birds in the tyrant flycatcher family, the Tyrannidae. The genus name Empidonax is from Ancient Greek empis, "gnat", and anax, "master".
Pyrocephalus is a genus of bird in the tyrant flycatcher family, Tyrannidae.
Lathrotriccus is a small genus of passerine birds in the tyrant flycatcher family. They breed in tropical South America, including, for one species, the islands of Trinidad and formerly also Grenada.
Myiarchus is a genus of birds in the tyrant flycatcher family Tyrannidae. Most species are fairly similar in appearance and are easier to separate by voice than by plumage.
The ash-throated flycatcher is a passerine bird in the tyrant flycatcher family.
Elaenia is a genus of passerine birds in the tyrant flycatcher family which occur in Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. Except by voice, specific identification is often difficult since many species are very similar. They are also known by the common name elaenia, which they share with the similar tyrant flycatchers of the genus Myiopagis.
The shrike-tyrants are a genus, Agriornis, of birds in the tyrant flycatcher family Tyrannidae. The members of this genus are found in open habitats in western and southern South America, usually at high elevations. They are large and heavy billed by tyrant-flycatcher standards, and include the largest representative of the family, the great shrike-tyrant. These five species all have a dull brownish or greyish plumage. Despite their name any similarity with the shrikes is superficial. Many field guides note their greater resemblance to thrushes.
The pale-eyed pygmy tyrant is a species of bird in the tyrant flycatcher family, Tyrannidae, where it makes up the monotypic genus Atalotriccus.
Twistwings are two species of Tyrant flycatchers from the genus Cnipodectes. They are restricted to northern and western South America and southern Central America. The genus was monotypic until a new species, Cnipodectes superrufus, was described from Peru and Bolivia in 2007. Their common name refers to the modified primaries. The genus contains two species.
Hemitriccus is a genus of small South American birds in the tyrant flycatcher family Tyrannidae. They are commonly known as tody-tyrants or bamboo tyrants, but the former name is also shared with several members of the genus Poecilotriccus. Several species from the genus Hemitriccus are very similar, and consequently best separated by their voice.
Knipolegus is a genus of birds, the black tyrants, in the tyrant flycatcher family Tyrannidae.
Lophotriccus is a genus of South American birds in the tyrant flycatcher family Tyrannidae.
Mionectes is a genus of birds in the tyrant flycatcher family Tyrannidae.
Myiopagis is a genus of bird in the family Tyrannidae, the tyrant flycatchers. These species are closely related to the genus Elaenia but are generally smaller.
Nesotriccus is a genus of Central and South American birds in the tyrant flycatcher family Tyrannidae.
Phyllomyias is a genus of small birds in the tyrant-flycatcher family Tyrannidae. They are found in wooded habitats of Central and South America. Some species are among the commonest birds in their range, while other are rare and threatened. They have a short, stubby bill, are greenish above, yellowish or whitish below, and all except the sooty-headed tyrannulet have pale wing-bars or edging. They feed on small arthropods and fruits. Most species regularly take part in mixed species flocks.
Pogonotriccus is a genus of small passerine birds in the tyrant flycatcher family Tyrannidae. They are found in wooded habitats of Central and South America.
Anairetes is a genus containing the tit-tyrants, a group of small, mainly Andean birds, in the tyrant flycatcher family Tyrannidae. The group briefly included the genus Uromyias, which had been recognized based on syringeal and plumage characters, including a flatter crest and a longer tail, but was included within Anairetes due to genetic analysis. Recent analyses suggested splitting into Uromyias again. Anairetes is believed to be most closely related to the genera Mecocerculus and Serpophaga; however, there is no definitive evidence supporting this claim.
Sirystes is a genus of birds in the tyrant flycatcher family, Tyrannidae. They used to be all considered conspecific. Vocal differences primarily separated the superspecies into four distinct taxa.
