McConnell's Flycatcher (Mionectes macconnelli) [XC44149]
by Jeremy Minns from Reserve Naturelle des Nouragues, saut Parare, French Guiana (call)
McConnell's Flycatcher (Mionectes macconnelli) [XC565208]
by Sebastian K. Herzog from Cabo Frio camp -- Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project, Brazil (song)
Subspecies
Scientific name was incorrectly formed, as species is named after F. V. McConnell. Closely related to Ochre-bellied Flycatcher (Mionectes oleagineus) and Grey-hooded Flycatcher (Mionectes rufiventris) and all were for long placed in a separate genus, Pipromorpha, on basis of specialized outer primaries of male, but they share numerous characters (including unusual lek breeding system) with both Streak-necked Flycatcher (Mionectes striaticollis) and Olive-striped Flycatcher (Mionectes olivaceus). Large series of specimens (including fresh ones) now available from across Amazon Basin south to Bolivia reveal remarkably little geographical variation over such a vast area, especially in comparison with distinctly different central Peruvian peruanus. Described subspecies amazonus, from central Brazil and eastern Bolivia, considered better treated as synonymous with nominate. Birds from Cerro de la Neblina (southern Venezuela) named as subspecies mercedesfosterae, but characters fall within range of variation of roraimae, thus merged with latter.
The following 4 subspecies are recognised:
macconnelli (Chubb, 1919) - Lowland tropics of eastern Venezuela (north-eastern Bolívar), the Guianas and lower Amazonian Brazil (eastern from R Negro and R Madeira, possibly from Amazonas, south to northern Mato Grosso and central Pará), south-eastern Peru (southern Ucayali, Madre de Dios. Also sight record from R Javari, in north-east) and north-eastern Bolivia (Pando, Beni, La Paz, Cochabamba, Santa Cruz).
roraimae (Chubb, 1919) - Tepui region of southern and south-eastern Venezuela and Guyana. Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Sierra de Lema Flycatcher (Mionectes roraimae).
peruanus (Carriker, 1930) - Central Peru (Junín).
amazonus (Todd, 1921) - Bolivia; it is not clear whether populations of central eastern Brazil south of the Amazon refer to amazonas (as these historically have been identified), or to the geographically adjacent nominate macconnelli of the Guianan region.
BirdLife International Species Factsheet