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Many-colored rush tyrant
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Tachurididae
Genus:	Tachuris Lafresnaye, 1836
Species:	T. rubrigastra
Binomial name
Tachuris rubrigastra (Vieillot, 1817)

The many-colored rush tyrant or many-coloured rush tyrant (Tachuris rubrigastra) is a small passerine bird of South America belonging to the tyrant flycatcher family Tyrannidae. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay.

Taxonomy and systematics

A 2013 DNA-based study of South American suboscines found that the many-colored rush tyrant belonged to an isolated lineage that had been separated from other suboscines for around 25 million years. The authors proposed that it should be placed in its own monotypic family Tachurididae. It was subsequently suggested that the name should be Tachurisidae. Edward Dickinson and Leslie Christidis placed it in Tachurisidae in the fourth edition of the Howard and Moore Complete Checklist of the Birds of the World. As of late 2024 the South American Classification Committee of the American Ornithological Society classifies it as incertae sedis and is seeking a proposal to clarify its status. Other taxonomic systems retain it in Tyrannidae.

The many-colored rush tyrant is the only member of its genus and has these four subspecies:

• T. r. alticola (Berlepsch & Stolzmann, 1896)
• T. r. libertatis Hellmayr, 1920
• T. r. loaensis Philippi Bañados & Johnson, AW, 1946
• T. r. rubrigastra (Vieillot, 1817, 1817)

Description

The many-colored rush tyrant is "the most colourful of all tyrannids". It is 10.5 to 11.5 cm (4.1 to 4.5 in) long and weighs 6.5 to 8 g (0.23 to 0.28 oz). Adult males of the nominate subspecies T. r. rubrigastra have a black crown with a slight crest and a partly hidden red patch in the middle. They have a large golden supercilium and glossy blue to black lores whose color extends onto the ear coverts giving a masked appearance. Their nape is ochraceous that blends into their bright moss-green back and rump. Their wings are black with white edges on the coverts and tertials that form a large bar when closed. Their tail is mostly black with white outermost feathers. Their upper throat is white and their breast and belly bright yellow with a wide, nearly complete, black bar across the breast. Their crissum is bright red to orange-red or pinkish red. Adult females have the same pattern as males but are slightly duller overall with a smaller crown patch. Immatures have an all black (no blue) mask, some yellow scaling on the back, and paler yellow underparts than adults without the black bar.

Subspecies T. r. alticola is slightly larger than the nominate, with a paler yellow supercilium and a darker, more blackish green back. T. r. libertatis has a less prominent and greener supercilium and a whiter throat and belly than the nominate. T. r. loaensis is smaller than the nominate. It has a green tinge on its supercilium with more white on the throat, a stronger yellowish ochre on the neck and breast, a paler grayish white belly, and more white on the tail than the nominate. Both sexes of all subspecies have a pale bluish iris, a black bill, and long black legs.

Distribution and habitat

The many-colored rush tyrant has a disjunct distribution. The nominate subspecies has the largest range. It is found from southern São Paulo and Paraná states in Brazil south through southern Uruguay and Paraguay into eastern Argentina all the way to Santa Cruz Province. It also is separately found in western Chile between the Atacama and Aysén regions. Subspecies T. r. libertatis is the northernmost. It is found in most of the length of western Peru, between Piura and Arquipa departments. T. r. alticola is found in the Altiplano of central and southeastern Peru from Junín Department south through Puno Department into western Bolivia' La Paz and Oruro departments and northwestern Argentina as far as Tucumán Province. T. r. loaensis has a very restricted range within northern Chile's Antofagasta Region.

The many-colored rush tyrant almost exclusively inhabits large reedbeds in lakes and marshes; it also infrequently occurs slightly into adjoining grassy edges. In elevation it ranges from sea level to 4,300 m (14,100 ft) overall. It reaches 2,500 m (8,200 ft) in Brazil and attains its highest elevation in Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina.

Behavior

Movement

The many-colored rush tyrant is partially migratory though the exact pattern is not well understood. Populations in the south move north while those further north are generally year-round residents. It reaches Brazil north of Rio Grande do Sul, Paraguay, and possibly northern Uruguay and far northeastern Argentina only in the austral winter.

Feeding

The many-colored rush tyrant feeds on insects. It forages singly or in small family groups, almost always concealed in reeds. It also forages on mud and floating vegetation but always near cover. It gleans acrobatically, sometimes hanging upside down on reeds.

Breeding

The many-colored rush tyrant's breeding season has not been fully defined but includes September and October in Peru and Brazil. It makes a distinctive deep cone-shaped cup nest from wet reed leaves that harden as they dry; their consistency has been likened to cardboard. The nest is attached by its side to a reed. The usual clutch is three eggs; rarely a fourth is added. The incubation period, time to fledging, and details of parental care are not known.

Vocalization

The many-colored rush tyrant's song is "a quiet, mellow, pleasant series of noes with a short buzz near the start and ending with a loose musical rattle: kachup-brrr-kachup'yp'a'trrrrl. Its calls are "a loud keeYIP or kaCHOO and a quiet, popping pip.

Status

The IUCN has assessed the many-colored rush tyrant as being of Least Concern. It has a very large range; its population size is not known and is believed to be stable. No immediate threats have been identified. It is considered locally common, often occurring in small colonies with apparently suitable unoccupied habitat between them. It is found in many protected areas.

References

1. ^ BirdLife International (2024). "Many-colored Rush-tyrant Tachuris rubrigastra". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2024: e.T22699410A263745268. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2024-2.RLTS.T22699410A263745268.en. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
2. ^ Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (August 2024). "Tyrant flycatchers". IOC World Bird List. v 14.2. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
3. Ohlson, J.I.; Irestedt, M.; Ericson, P.G.P.; Fjeldså, J. (2013). "Phylogeny and classification of the New World suboscines (Aves, Passeriformes)". Zootaxa. 3613 (1): 1–35. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3613.1.1. PMID 24698900.
4. Franz, I. (2015). "A family-group name correction in Aves: Tachurisidae instead of Tachurididae Ohlson, Irestedt, Ericson & Fjeldså, 2013". Zootaxa. 3941 (4): 593–594. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3941.4.9. PMID 25947533.
5. Dickinson, E.C.; Christidis, L., eds. (2014). The Howard & Moore Complete Checklist of the Birds of the World. Vol. 2: Passerines (4th ed.). Eastbourne, UK: Aves Press. p. 24. ISBN 978-0-9568611-2-2.
6. Remsen, J. V., Jr., J. I. Areta, E. Bonaccorso, S. Claramunt, G. Del-Rio, A. Jaramillo, D. F. Lane, M. B. Robbins, F. G. Stiles, and K. J. Zimmer. Version 18 November 2024. A classification of the bird species of South America. American Ornithological Society. https://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCBaseline.htm retrieved November 26, 2024
7. Clements, J. F., P.C. Rasmussen, T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, T. A. Fredericks, J. A. Gerbracht, D. Lepage, A. Spencer, S. M. Billerman, B. L. Sullivan, M. Smith, and C. L. Wood. 2024. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2024. Downloaded from https://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/ retrieved October 23, 2024
8. HBW and BirdLife International (2024). Handbook of the Birds of the World and BirdLife International digital checklist of the birds of the world. Version 9. Available at: http://datazone.birdlife.org/userfiles/file/Species/Taxonomy/HBW-BirdLife_Checklist_v9_Oct24.zip retrieved December 23, 2024
9. ^ Clock, B. M. (2020). Many-colored Rush Tyrant (Tachuris rubrigastra), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.mcrtyr1.01 retrieved January 18, 2025
10. ^ van Perlo, Ber (2009). A Field Guide to the Birds of Brazil. New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 302–303. ISBN 978-0-19-530155-7.
11. ^ de la Peña, Martín R.; Rumboll, Maurice (2001). Birds of Southern South America and Antarctica. Princeton Illustrated Checklists. New Jersey: Princeton University Press. pp. Plate 71, map 71.13. ISBN 0691090351.
12. ^ Schulenberg, T.S.; Stotz, D.F.; Lane, D.F.; O'Neill, J.P.; Parker, T.A. III (2010). Birds of Peru. Princeton Field Guides (revised and updated ed.). Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. p. 418. ISBN 978-0691130231.

External links

Media related to Tachuris rubrigastra at Wikimedia Commons Data related to Tachuris_rubrigastra at Wikispecies

v t e Genera of passerines and their extinct allies
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Clade: Psittacopasseres Order: Passeriformes
Passeriformes incertae sedis †Corvitalusoides †Jamna †Winnicavis †Yunnanus Acanthisitti Acanthisittidae Acanthisitta †Dendroscansor †Kuiornis †Pachyplichas †Traversia Xenicus Eupasseres Tyranni †Crosnoornis †Wieslochia Eurylaimides Calyptomenidae Calyptomena Smithornis Eurylaimidae Corydon Cymbirhynchus Eurylaimus Psarisomus Pseudocalyptomena Sarcophanops Serilophus Philepittidae Neodrepanis Philepitta Pittidae Erythropitta Hydrornis Pitta Sapayoidae Sapayoa Tyrannides See below ↓ Passeri See below ↓
Tyrannides Conopophagidae Cephalopterus Conopophaga Pittasoma Cotingidae Ampelioides Ampelion Carpodectes Carpornis Conioptilon Cotinga Doliornis Gymnoderus Haematoderus Lipaugus Querula Perissocephalus Phibalura Phoenicircus Phytotoma Pipreola Porphyrolaema Procnias Pyroderus Rupicola Snowornis Xipholena Zaratornis Formicariidae Chamaeza Formicarius Furnariidae Berlepschia †Pseudoseisuropsis Sclerurinae Geositta Sclerurus Dendrocolaptinae Dendrocolaptini Campylorhamphus Dendrexetastes Dendrocolaptes Dendroplex Drymornis Drymotoxeres Glyphorynchus Hylexetastes Lepidocolaptes Nasica Xiphocolaptes Xiphorhynchus Sittasomini Certhiasomus Dendrocincla Deconychura Sittasomus Furnariinae Xenops Pygarrhichini Microxenops Ochetorhynchus Pygarrhichas Furnariini Cinclodes Furnarius Geocerthia Limnornis Lochmias Phleocryptes Premnornis Pseudocolaptes Tarphonomus Upucerthia Philydorini Anabacerthia Anabazenops Ancistrops Automolus Cichlocolaptes Clibanornis Dendroma Heliobletus Megaxenops Philydor Syndactyla Thripadectes Synallaxini Acrobatornis Anumbius Aphrastura Asthenes Certhiaxis Coryphistera Cranioleuca Hellmayrea Leptasthenura Limnoctites Margarornis Mazaria Metopothrix Phacellodomus Premnoplex Pseudasthenes Pseudoseisura Roraimia Schoeniophylax Siptornis Spartonoica Sylviorthorhynchus Synallaxis Thripophaga Xenerpestes Grallariidae Cryptopezus Grallaria Grallaricula Hylopezus Myrmothera Melanopareiidae Melanopareia Pipridae Ceratopipra Chiroxiphia Chloropipo Corapipo Cryptopipo Heterocercus Ilicura Lepidothrix Machaeropterus Manacus Masius Neopelma Pipra Pseudopipra Tyranneutes Xenopipo Rhinocryptidae Acropternis Eleoscytalopus Eugralla Liosceles Merulaxis Myornis Psilorhamphus Pteroptochos Rhinocrypta Scelorchilus Scytalopus Teledromas Thamnophilidae Euchrepomidinae Euchrepomis Myrmornithinae Myrmornis Pygiptila Thamnistes Thamnophilinae Formicivorini Formicivora Myrmochanes Myrmotherula Terenura Microrhopiini Ammonastes Aprositornis Clytoctantes Epinecrophylla Microrhopias Myrmophylax Myrmorchilus Neoctantes Pithyini Cercomacra Cercomacroides Drymophila Gymnopithys Hypocnemis Oneillornis Phaenostictus Phlegopsis Pithys Rhegmatorhina Sciaphylax Willisornis Pyriglenini Akletos Ampelornis Gymnocichla Hafferia Hylophylax Hypocnemoides Myrmeciza Myrmelastes Myrmoborus Myrmoderus Percnostola Poliocrania Pyriglena Rhopornis Sclateria Sipia Thamnophilini Batara Biatas Cymbilaimus Dichrozona Dysithamnus Frederickena Herpsilochmus Hypoedaleus Isleria Mackenziaena Megastictus Radinopsyche Rhopias Sakesphoroides Sakesphorus Taraba Thamnomanes Thamnophilus Xenornis Tityridae Iodopleura Laniisoma Laniocera Myiobius Onychorhynchus Oxyruncus Pachyramphus Schiffornis Terenotriccus Tityra Xenopsaris Tyrannidae Agriornis Alectrurus Anairetes Aphanotriccus Arundinicola Atalotriccus Attila Calyptura Camptostoma Capsiempis Casiornis Cnemarchus Cnemotriccus Cnipodectes Colonia Colorhamphus Conopias Contopus Corythopis Culicivora Elaenia Empidonax Empidonomus Euscarthmus Fluvicola Griseotyrannus Gubernetes Guyramemua Hemitriccus Heteroxolmis Hirundinea Hymenops Inezia Knipolegus Lathrotriccus Legatus Lessonia Leptopogon Lophotriccus Machetornis Mecocerculus Megarynchus Mionectes Mitrephanes Muscigralla Muscipipra Muscisaxicola Myiarchus Myiodynastes Myiopagis Myiophobus Myiornis Myiotheretes Myiotriccus Myiozetetes Nengetus Neopipo Neoxolmis Nephelomyias Nesotriccus Ochthoeca Ochthornis Oncostoma Ornithion Phelpsia Philohydor Phyllomyias Phylloscartes Piprites Pitangus Platyrinchus Poecilotriccus Pogonotriccus Polystictus Pseudelaenia Pseudocolopteryx Pseudotriccus Pyrocephalus Pyrope Pyrrhomyias Ramphotrigon Rhynchocyclus Rhytipterna Satrapa Sayornis Serpophaga Silvicultrix Sirystes Stigmatura Sublegatus Suiriri Syrtidicola Tachuris Taeniotriccus Todirostrum Tolmomyias Tumbezia Tyrannopsis Tyrannulus Tyrannus Uromyias Xenotriccus Xolmis Zimmerius
Passeri †Resoviaornis Acanthizidae Acanthiza Acanthornis Aethomyias Aphelocephala Calamanthus Gerygone Hylacola Neosericornis Oreoscopus Origma Pachycare Pycnoptilus Pyrrholaemus Sericornis Smicrornis Atrichornithidae Atrichornis Callaeidae Callaeas †Heteralocha Philesturnus Climacteridae Climacteris Cormobates Cnemophilidae Cnemophilus Loboparadisea Dasyornithidae Dasyornis Maluridae Amytornithinae Amytornis Malurinae Malurini Chenorhamphus Clytomyias Malurus Sipodotus Stipiturini Stipiturus Melanocharitidae Melanocharis Oedistoma Rhamphocharis Toxorhamphus Meliphagidae Acanthagenys Acanthorhynchus Anthochaera Anthornis Ashbyia Bolemoreus Caligavis Certhionyx Cissomela Conopophila Entomyzon Epthianura Foulehaio Gavicalis Gliciphila Glycichaera Glycifohia Grantiella Guadalcanaria Gymnomyza Lichenostomus Lichmera Macgregoria Manorina Meliarchus Melidectes Melilestes Melionyx Meliphacator Meliphaga Melipotes Melithreptus Melitograis Microptilotis Myza Myzomela Nesoptilotis Oreornis Plectorhyncha Philemon Phylidonyris Ptiloprora Ptilotula Prosthemadera Purnella Pycnopygius Ramsayornis Stomiopera Stresemannia Sugomel Territornis Timeliopsis Trichodere Vosea Xanthotis Menuridae Menura Notiomystidae Notiomystis Orthonychidae Orthonyx †Palaeoscinidae Palaeoscinis Pardalotidae Pardalotus Pomatostomidae Garritornis Pomatostomus Ptilonorhynchidae Ailuroedus Amblyornis Archboldia Chlamydera Prionodura Ptilonorhynchus Scenopoeetes †Sericuloides Sericulus Corvides See Corvides Passerida See Passerida

• IUCN Red List least concern species
• Tyrannidae
• Birds of Argentina
• Birds of Chile
• Birds of Peru
• Birds of Uruguay
• Birds described in 1817
• Taxa named by Louis Pierre Vieillot