The Atlantic Royal Flycatcher (Onychorhynchus
coronatus swainsoni) is a bird belongs to family Tyrannidae, and it is often
considered a subspecies of Onychorhynchus coronatus. This bird is endemic to
Atlantic forest in south-eastern Brazil, confined to the dwindling forests of
south-east Brazil, in the states of Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and
Paraná. It is threatened by habitat loss, classified as Vulnerable (VU) on the
IUCN Red List 2007. However its range is remain small and harshly fragmented, though
latest discoveries from at least seven new sites in Paraná and four new sites
in São Paulo provide fresh hope for the species. This stunning Brazilian
endemic inhabits the understory of lowland and lower montane Atlantic forest,
up to 800 metres above sea level. At Intervales State Park, it is found most regularly
in the proximity of small watercourses. The Atlantic Royal Flycatcher is measuring
6.3 to 6.5 in and this large-billed flycatcher has a remarkable, but rarely
seen, crest.
Moreover, this flycatcher has mainly
uniform dull brown upperparts with pale, bright cinnamon rump and tail, a
whitish throat, unmarked ochraceous buff underparts. Although, the beautiful crest
is habitually left flat, giving a hammerhead shape to head. Moreover when
raised, the crest displays a extraordinary combination of scarlet, black and blue
and yellow replaces red in the female, and ornately decorated with splashes of
black and steel-blue tips. The flycatcher has vivid color of the crest stands
out against the uniformly brown plumage of the upperparts and dull-yellow
underparts. Thus, by contrast, the rump and tail are a bright cinnamon color,
and a small, whitish patch marks the throat.
The Atlantic royal flycatcher is believed
to feed on insects, predominantly flying insects such as dragonflies. This crest
bird sometimes joins mixed-species flocks, and has been logged connecting with
foliage-gleaners and fire-eyes. Moreover a juvenile has been observed in Rio de
Janeiro Brazil, signifying that breeding happens in the spring (Sep to Oct in
the Southern Hemisphere). Notwithstanding its highly fragmented and diminishing
status, the Atlantic forest still maintains a rich array of biodiversity,
including several endemic species, and as such, remains one of the highest
priorities for conservation action around the world.
