Darwin's flycatcher or little vermilion flycatcher (''Pyrocephalus nanus'') is a species of flycatcher, closely related to the vermilion flycatcher. It is endemic to the

Galápagos Islands The Galápagos Islands (Spanish: , , ) are an archipelago of volcanic islands. They are distributed on each side of the equator in the Pacific Ocean, surrounding the centre of the Western Hemisphere, and are part of the Republic of Ecuador ...

. The same threats that led to the

San Cristóbal flycatcher The San Cristóbal flycatcher (''Pyrocephalus dubius''), also known as San Cristóbal vermilion flycatcher or least vermilion flycatcher, is an extinct species of flycatcher, closely related to the vermilion flycatcher. It was endemic to San Crist ...

's extinction, including invasive species such as rats, threaten the Darwin's flycatcher today. Populations exist on the islands of Santa Cruz, Fernandina, Rabida and Isabela. It lives in humid forests and shrubland and has an average lifespan of five years.

Taxonomy

Darwin's flycatcher was described as full species ''Pyrocephalus nanus'' in 1839 by John Gould. It is recognized as a species by some taxonomic authorities, including the International Ornithologists' Union. Others — including the taxonomists behind the Howard and Moore checklist and the Clements checklist — still consider it to be a subspecies of the vermilion flycatcher. it is locally extinct on

Floreana Island Floreana Island (Spanish: ''Isla Floreana'') is an island of the Galápagos Islands. It was named after Juan José Flores, the first president of Ecuador, during whose administration the government of Ecuador took possession of the archipelago. ...

, close to extinction on Santa Cruz island and under threat on Isabela island. A 2016 study on the vermilion flycatcher elevated several of the subspecies to the rank of species, including Darwin's flycatcher, and the now extinct San Cristόbal flycatcher. The bird has been labelled "vulnerable" by the

International Union for Conservation of Nature The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN; officially International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natu ...

(IUCN). But in May 2023 conservation experts reported that 12 new chicks had been born that year, on Santa Cruz. There were only 15 breeding pairs. The reserve's director Danny Rueda said that each chick that is born was a "new hope to save this species", adding "These 12 new birds constitute a veritable success since initiating the program in 2018 and finally getting results."

Description

The males have a striking red plumage, with black wings and eye markings. They have an average size of about 13 centimeters and have an average weight of about 12 grams, the maximum of both the size and weight is unknown.

References

* {{Taxonbar, from=Q29168184, from2=Q55112064 Darwin's flycatcher Darwin's flycatcher Darwin's flycatcher