Polystictus superciliaris
Silhouette: Emily Willoughby · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~40% in a week ~70%
The grey-backed tachuri (Polystictus superciliaris) is a species of bird in subfamily Elaeniinae of family Tyrannidae, the tyrant flycatchers. It is endemic to Brazil. The grey-backed tachuri shares genus Polystictus with the bearded tachuri (P. pectoralis) but several authors have described the relationship as weak and needing confirmation.
The grey-backed tachuri is monotypic. The grey-backed tachuri is 9.5 to 10 cm (3.7 to 3.9 in) long and weighs about 6 grams (0.21 oz). The sexes have the same plumage. Adults have a gray crown with a short crest; the crown's white center is mostly hidden. They have a short white supercilium, a white eye ring, and a thin blackish line through the eye on a face that is otherwise thinly striped with black and white. Their upperparts are brownish gray. Their wings are dark dusky brown with slightly paler brown edges on the flight feathers and tips on the wing coverts; the last show as two wing bars. Their tail is dusky. Their chin is whitish. Their throat and underparts are mostly pinkish buff that becomes white on the lower belly. Juveniles have a cream-colored belly. Both sexes have a dark brown iris... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Serra da Canastra National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 2 | Chapada Diamantina National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 3 | Itatiaia National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil |
Possible
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Gray-backed Tachuri sighting in Serra da Canastra National Park on a given day, based on 96 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 115th most-seen of the 294 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 40%, and over a week to about 70%, if each day is a fresh chance.
May and December
In those months about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Gray-backed Tachuri in Serra da Canastra National Park on a given day, against about 10% in January–February, April and June–August, the lowest months.
Between 7 and 10 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Gray-backed Tachuri sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 3 parks where we can rate Gray-backed Tachuri sightings, Serra da Canastra National Park has the highest daily chance: about 20%. Next come Chapada Diamantina National Park (Brazil, about 10%) and Itatiaia National Park (Brazil, under 5%).
Same family: Tyrannidae
The closest relatives of the Gray-backed Tachuri that you can see in Serra da Canastra National Park (family Tyrannidae, Tyrant Flycatchers) are Great Kiskadee (about 60%), White-rumped Monjita (about 50%) and Crested Black-Tyrant (about 40%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Gray-backed Tachuri is recorded against all the birds logged in Serra da Canastra National Park (96 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
