Lesser Greenlet
Hylophilus decurtatus
About This Species
This small, plain-plumaged bird moves through the mid and upper canopy of humid lowland forest in Central America, usually in the company of mixed-species foraging flocks rather than alone, gleaning insects from leaves and twigs. Its plainness makes visual identification tricky, so a persistent, slightly nasal, repetitive song is often the more reliable clue to its presence. Listening for flock activity in forest interior or edge habitat during the morning, when mixed flocks are most active, gives the best chance of a sighting.
Ethical Viewing Guidelines
- As an inconspicuous canopy species travelling in loose flocks, it is rarely approached closely enough for distance to be a major concern, but avoid using recorded calls or bright lights to draw it down from the canopy.
- Wildlife protection rules vary across its Central American range, so rely on the general principle of minimal interference with foraging or nesting birds rather than a specific figure.
- Stay on trails and avoid cutting vegetation to get a clearer view, since canopy disturbance can affect the whole mixed flock, not just this species.
LCAvesPasseriformesVireonidae
Seasonal Activity
261,196 sightings · 2000–2026
Citizen science records via GBIF
All monthsThis month
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Vireonidae
Photo
Wikimedia Commons / Wikimedia Commons
CC-BY-SA-4.0
Occurrence data from GBIF.