The Story
This Pied Water-Tyrant (Fluvicola pica) was at Posada Turística Kenisha in Prado, Tolima, Colombia when I photographed it. It gleans prey from floating and emergent vegetation and from the water surface. It often sits on low perches like fence posts and floating plants. Both sexes build the nest, a round ball of dry grass and leaves with a side entrance near the top. It forages alone or in loose pairs, mostly in the open. Prado’s main attraction is the Darío Echandía reservoir, an artificial lake fed by the Cunday and Negro rivers.
I made this frame with a Pentax K-1 and the HD Pentax-D FA 150-450mm f/4.5-5.6, at 1/80 sec, f/5.6, ISO 800, +1 EV. IUCN lists the Pied Water-Tyrant as Least Concern, with a decreasing population.
©2019 Adam Rainoff Photographer
The bird
The Pied Water-Tyrant (Fluvicola pica) belongs to the family Tyrannidae (Tyrant Flycatchers) in the eBird/Clements taxonomy.
Source: eBird.org (opens in a new tab)
Conservation
Least Concern on the IUCN Red List (assessment published 2021), with the population trend listed as decreasing. Source: IUCN Red List