Onychorhynchus swainsoni
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Swainson's Royal Flycatcher faces severe pressure from accelerating deforestation across its Amazonian range, with habitat conversion for cattle ranching and soy cultivation fragmenting the continuous forest canopy it requires for foraging. The species' dependence on mature lowland rainforest makes it particularly vulnerable to logging operations that remove the large trees essential for its aerial insect-hunting behavior. Climate change compounds these threats by altering precipitation patterns and insect abundance in its specialized riparian forest habitats.
Habitat
Swainson's Royal Flycatcher inhabits the understory and middle canopy of mature lowland rainforests, showing strong preference for areas near streams and forest edges where insect prey is abundant. The species requires continuous forest cover with large trees that provide suitable perches for its aerial foraging strategy.
