The fulvous-crowned scrub tyrant, or tawny-crowned pygmy-tyrant, (Euscarthmus meloryphus) is a species of bird in the family Tyrannidae, the tyrant flycatchers. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela.
Taxonomy and systematics
The fulvous-crowned scrub tyrant has two subspecies, the nominate E. m. meloryphus (Wied, 1831) and E. m. paulus (Bangs, 1899).
What is now the fulvous-faced scrub tyrant (E. fulviceps) was previously a third subspecies; the full species at that time was called the tawny-crowned pygmy tyrant. Following the split most taxonomic systems gave E. meloryphus sensu stricto its present common name to avoid confusion with the pre-split species and other, unrelated, species called "pygmy tyrants". However, as of late 2024 BirdLife International's Handbook of the Birds of the World retains the original common name.
Description
The fulvous-crowned scrub tyrant is 9 to 12 cm (3.5 to 4.7 in) long and weighs 5 to 10 g (0.18 to 0.35 oz). The sexes have the same plumage. Adults of the nominate subspecies have a drab brownish crown with a weak crest and rufous central crown feathers that are somewhat hidden. They have dull buffy to whitish lores and an indistinct dull buffy to whitish eye-ring on an otherwise buffy brown face. Their upperparts are drab brownish. Their wings are dusky brown with rufous tips on the coverts and less distinct rufous edges on the flight feathers. Their tail is dusky. Their throat and breast are grayish white with a brownish tinge on the sides of the breast and flanks. The rest of their underparts are creamy yellow. Subspecies E. m. paulus is very similar to the nominate but with a fulvous to buffy face. Both sexes of both subspecies have a medium brown to chestnut or cinnamon iris, a black maxilla, a mandible that can be grayish to white, pale brownish pink, or all plumbeous gray, and legs and feet that can be any of several shades of gray.
