The smoky bush tyrant (Myiotheretes fumigatus) is a species of bird in the family Tyrannidae, the tyrant flycatchers. It is found in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela.
Taxonomy and systematics
The smoky bush tyrant was formally described in 1840 as Tyrannula fumigata. For a time in the early twentieth century it was placed in genus Ochthodiaeta. That genus was later merged into Xolmis and still later the species was recognized in its present genus Myiotheretes that had been erected in 1850.
The smoky bush tyrant has these four subspecies:
M. f. olivaceus (Phelps, WH & Phelps, WH Jr, 1953)
M. f. fumigatus (Boissonneau, 1840)
M. f. lugubris (Berlepsch, 1883)
M. f. cajamarcae (Chapman, 1927)
Description
The smoky bush tyrant is 18 to 20.5 cm (7.1 to 8.1 in) long. The sexes have the same plumage, which is somewhat reminiscent of a thrush's. Adults of the nominate subspecies M. f. fumigatus have a thin white supercilium on an otherwise dark smoky brown face. Their upperparts are also dark smoky brown. Their wings are mostly blackish with buffy edges on the coverts and cinnamon bases to the inner webs of the flight feathers; the latter show prominently in flight. Their underwing coverts are cinnamon which also shows in flight. Their tail is mostly blackish with whitish edges on the outer feathers. Their chin and throat are mottled with whitish and dark brown with an ochraceous tinge to the throat. Their underparts are mostly dark smoky brown with dingy buff undertail coverts. Subspecies M. f. olivaceus has a dull grayish white supercilium and a brownish vent area. M. f. lugubris has a smaller supercilium than the nominate and an ochraceous crissum. M. f. cajamarcae is darker overall and has a smaller supercilium than the nominate. All subspecies have a dark iris, a black bill, and black legs and feet.
Distribution and habitat
The smoky bush tyrant has a disjunct distribution though some subspecies' ranges abut. The subspecies are found thus:
