Cattle tyrant

Species of bird (Machetornis rixosa)

Cattle tyrant

Nominate Machetornis rixosa rixosa, Transpantaneira, Poconé, Mato Grosso, Brazil

Conservation status

Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[1]

Scientific classification
Kingdom:  | Animalia
Phylum:  | Chordata
Class:  | Aves
Order:  | Passeriformes
Family:  | Tyrannidae
Genus:  | Machetornis
G.R. Gray, 1841
Species:  |

M. rixosa

Binomial name
Machetornis rixosa

(Vieillot, 1819)

Synonyms

Machetornis rixosus (Vieillot, 1819)[2]

The cattle tyrant (Machetornis rixosa) is a species of bird in the tyrant flycatcher family Tyrannidae. In Brazil, it is called suiriri-cavaleiro.[3] It is the only member of the genus Machetornis. The relationships of this species and genus to other genera in the tyrant flycatchers are uncertain. It resembles Tyrannus flycatchers, but this may be the result of convergence.

## Subspecies and distribution

[edit]

M. r. flavigularis, Panama

The genus name was given to the species by George Robert Gray and is derived from the Ancient Greek makhētēs for fighter and ornis for bird, a reference to its pugnacious behaviour and habit of dispossessing other species of their nests. The specific name comes from the Latin rixosus meaning quarrelsome, again referring to the behaviour and temperament of the species.[4]

The species has a disjunct distribution, with three subspecies accepted:[5][4]

* M. r. rixosa (Vieillot, 1819), the nominate subspecies, in eastern South America from northern Argentina and Bolivia to the north-eastern tip of Brazil.
* M. r. flavigularis Todd, 1912, in southernmost Central America and northwestern South America from Panama to western Colombia and western Venezuela.
* M. r. obscurodorsalis W. H. Phelps & W. H. Phelps Jr, 1948, in north-central South America from eastern Ecuador through central Colombia to eastern Venezuela.

The two northern subspecies, partly but not fully separated by the Andes with some overlap in Venezuela, are not very distinct from each other and may be better merged under the older name M. r. flavigularis.[4]

The species inhabits drier open and semi-open habitats, and avoids forested and wooded areas. It can be found in savannah, pastureland, parkland, agricultural land and even gardens.[4] Due to deforestation, the species has recently colonised areas where it was previously absent, such as northeast Ecuador.

## Description

[edit]

The cattle tyrant is a highly terrestrial tyrant flycatcher, 19.5–20 cm (7.7–7.9 in) long and weighing 29–40 g (1.0–1.4 oz). The plumage of the nominate subspecies is mostly olive-brown above and yellow below, with a grey head with a thin dark eyestripe and a paler, whitish throat. The thin bill and legs are black. The two other subspecies differ from the nominate in having the head less grey, more like the olive-brown of the back, and a yellower throat.[4]

## Behaviour

[edit]

Cattle tyrants feed on insects, mostly from the ground. It may follow cattle or other large animals for some distance, catching flushed prey, or even hitch rides on these animals, and then snatching flushed prey with a quick sally-flight. It may sometimes hawk for insects from a high perch.[4] The species is sometimes reported to have a cleaning symbiosis with the large mammals it lives with. It takes ticks off mammals only occasionally, but it will sometimes hunt horseflies attempting to land on capybaras.[3]

Cattle tyrants build bulky nests or steal the nests of rufous-fronted thornbirds. Three to four eggs are laid and incubated for 14 days. The chicks fledge after 15 days.[4]

* Cleaning symbiosis foraging on a capybara

* Perched on capybara

* Costanera Sur, Argentina

## References

[edit]

1. ^ BirdLife International (2017). "Machetornis rixosa". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017: e.T22700321A118647319. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T22700321A118647319.en. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
2. ^ Alan P. Peterson, M.D. "Machetornis rixosus". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 22 July 2011.
3. ^ a b Sazima, I; Sazima, C (2010). "Brazilian cleaner birds: update and brief reappraisal" (PDF). Biota Neotropica. 10 (1): 327–331\. doi:10.1590/S1676-06032010000100028.
4. ^ a b c d e f g Mobley, J. (2017). Cattle Tyrant (Machetornis rixosa). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. (retrieved from http://www.hbw.com/node/57454 on 4 March 2017).
5. ^ "Tyrant flycatchers – IOC World Bird List". IOC World Bird List – Version 14.2. 2025-02-20. Retrieved 2025-03-05.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Machetornis rixosa.

* Citizen science observations for Cattle tyrant at iNaturalist

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Genera of passerines and their extinct allies

* Kingdom: Animalia
* Phylum: Chordata
* Class: Aves
* Clade: Psittacopasseres
* Order: Passeriformes

Passeriformes

| incertae sedis|

* †Corvitalusoides
* †Jamna
* †Winnicavis
* †Yunnanus

|

Acanthisitti|

| Acanthisittidae|

* Acanthisitta
* †Dendroscansor
* †Kuiornis
* †Pachyplichas
* †Traversia
* Xenicus

|

Eupasseres|

| Tyranni|

* †Crosnoornis
* †Wieslochia

Eurylaimides|

| Calyptomenidae|

* Calyptomena
* Smithornis

|

Eurylaimidae|

* Corydon
* Cymbirhynchus
* Eurylaimus
* Psarisomus
* Pseudocalyptomena
* Sarcophanops
* Serilophus

Philepittidae|

* Neodrepanis
* Philepitta

Pittidae|

* Erythropitta
* Hydrornis
* Pitta

Sapayoidae|

* Sapayoa

Tyrannides|

*     * See below ↓

Passeri|

*     * See below ↓

Tyrannides

| Conopophagidae|

* Cephalopterus
* Conopophaga
* Pittasoma

|

Cotingidae|

* Ampelioides
* Ampelion
* Carpodectes
* Carpornis
* Conioptilon
* Cotinga
* Doliornis
* Gymnoderus
* Haematoderus
* Lipaugus
* Querula
* Perissocephalus
* Phibalura
* Phoenicircus
* Phytotoma
* Pipreola
* Porphyrolaema
* Procnias
* Pyroderus
* Rupicola
* Snowornis
* Xipholena
* Zaratornis

Formicariidae|

* Chamaeza
* Formicarius

Furnariidae|

* Berlepschia
* †Pseudoseisuropsis

Sclerurinae|

* Geositta
* Sclerurus

Dendrocolaptinae|

| Dendrocolaptini|

* Campylorhamphus
* Dendrexetastes
* Dendrocolaptes
* Dendroplex
* Drymornis
* Drymotoxeres
* Glyphorynchus
* Hylexetastes
* Lepidocolaptes
* Nasica
* Xiphocolaptes
* Xiphorhynchus

|

Sittasomini|

* Certhiasomus
* Dendrocincla
* Deconychura
* Sittasomus

Furnariinae|

* Xenops

Pygarrhichini|

* Microxenops
* Ochetorhynchus
* Pygarrhichas

Furnariini|

* Cinclodes
* Furnarius
* Geocerthia
* Limnornis
* Lochmias
* Phleocryptes
* Premnornis
* Pseudocolaptes
* Tarphonomus
* Upucerthia

Philydorini|

* Anabacerthia
* Anabazenops
* Ancistrops
* Automolus
* Cichlocolaptes
* Clibanornis
* Dendroma
* Heliobletus
* Megaxenops
* Philydor
* Syndactyla
* Thripadectes

Synallaxini|

* Acrobatornis
* Anumbius
* Aphrastura
* Asthenes
* Certhiaxis
* Coryphistera
* Cranioleuca
* Hellmayrea
* Leptasthenura
* Limnoctites
* Margarornis
* Mazaria
* Metopothrix
* Phacellodomus
* Premnoplex
* Pseudasthenes
* Pseudoseisura
* Roraimia
* Schoeniophylax
* Siptornis
* Spartonoica
* Sylviorthorhynchus
* Synallaxis
* Thripophaga
* Xenerpestes

Grallariidae|

* Cryptopezus
* Grallaria
* Grallaricula
* Hylopezus
* Myrmothera

Melanopareiidae|

* Melanopareia

Pipridae|

* Ceratopipra
* Chiroxiphia
* Chloropipo
* Corapipo
* Cryptopipo
* Heterocercus
* Ilicura
* Lepidothrix
* Machaeropterus
* Manacus
* Masius
* Neopelma
* Pipra
* Pseudopipra
* Tyranneutes
* Xenopipo

Rhinocryptidae|

* Acropternis
* Eleoscytalopus
* Eugralla
* Liosceles
* Merulaxis
* Myornis
* Psilorhamphus
* Pteroptochos
* Rhinocrypta
* Scelorchilus
* Scytalopus
* Teledromas

Thamnophilidae|

| Euchrepomidinae|

* Euchrepomis

|

Myrmornithinae|

* Myrmornis
* Pygiptila
* Thamnistes

Thamnophilinae|

| Formicivorini|

* Formicivora
* Myrmochanes
* Myrmotherula
* Terenura

|

Microrhopiini|

* Ammonastes
* Aprositornis
* Clytoctantes
* Epinecrophylla
* Microrhopias
* Myrmophylax
* Myrmorchilus
* Neoctantes

Pithyini|

* Cercomacra
* Cercomacroides
* Drymophila
* Gymnopithys
* Hypocnemis
* Oneillornis
* Phaenostictus
* Phlegopsis
* Pithys
* Rhegmatorhina
* Sciaphylax
* Willisornis

Pyriglenini|

* Akletos
* Ampelornis
* Gymnocichla
* Hafferia
* Hylophylax
* Hypocnemoides
* Myrmeciza
* Myrmelastes
* Myrmoborus
* Myrmoderus
* Percnostola
* Poliocrania
* Pyriglena
* Rhopornis
* Sclateria
* Sipia

Thamnophilini|

* Batara
* Biatas
* Cymbilaimus
* Dichrozona
* Dysithamnus
* Frederickena
* Herpsilochmus
* Hypoedaleus
* Isleria
* Mackenziaena
* Megastictus
* Radinopsyche
* Rhopias
* Sakesphoroides
* Sakesphorus
* Taraba
* Thamnomanes
* Thamnophilus
* Xenornis

Tityridae|

* Iodopleura
* Laniisoma
* Laniocera
* Myiobius
* Onychorhynchus
* Oxyruncus
* Pachyramphus
* Schiffornis
* Terenotriccus
* Tityra
* Xenopsaris

Tyrannidae|

* Agriornis
* Alectrurus
* Anairetes
* Aphanotriccus
* Arundinicola
* Atalotriccus
* Attila
* Calyptura
* Camptostoma
* Capsiempis
* Casiornis
* Cnemarchus
* Cnemotriccus
* Cnipodectes
* Colonia
* Colorhamphus
* Conopias
* Contopus
* Corythopis
* Culicivora
* Elaenia
* Empidonax
* Empidonomus
* Euscarthmus
* Fluvicola
* Griseotyrannus
* Gubernetes
* Guyramemua
* Hemitriccus
* Heteroxolmis
* Hirundinea
* Hymenops
* Inezia
* Knipolegus
* Lathrotriccus
* Legatus
* Lessonia
* Leptopogon
* Lophotriccus
* Machetornis
* Mecocerculus
* Megarynchus
* Mionectes
* Mitrephanes
* Muscigralla
* Muscipipra
* Muscisaxicola
* Myiarchus
* Myiodynastes
* Myiopagis
* Myiophobus
* Myiornis
* Myiotheretes
* Myiotriccus
* Myiozetetes
* Nengetus
* Neopipo
* Neoxolmis
* Nephelomyias
* Nesotriccus
* Ochthoeca
* Ochthornis
* Oncostoma
* Ornithion
* Phelpsia
* Philohydor
* Phyllomyias
* Phylloscartes
* Piprites
* Pitangus
* Platyrinchus
* Poecilotriccus
* Pogonotriccus
* Polystictus
* Pseudelaenia
* Pseudocolopteryx
* Pseudotriccus
* Pyrocephalus
* Pyrope
* Pyrrhomyias
* Ramphotrigon
* Rhynchocyclus
* Rhytipterna
* Satrapa
* Sayornis
* Serpophaga
* Silvicultrix
* Sirystes
* Stigmatura
* Sublegatus
* Suiriri
* Syrtidicola
* Tachuris
* Taeniotriccus
* Todirostrum
* Tolmomyias
* Tumbezia
* Tyrannopsis
* Tyrannulus
* Tyrannus
* Uromyias
* Xenotriccus
* Xolmis
* Zimmerius

Passeri

†Resoviaornis

| Acanthizidae|

* Acanthiza
* Acanthornis
* Aethomyias
* Aphelocephala
* Calamanthus
* Gerygone
* Hylacola
* Neosericornis
* Oreoscopus
* Origma
* Pachycare
* Pycnoptilus
* Pyrrholaemus
* Sericornis
* Smicrornis

|

Atrichornithidae|

* Atrichornis

Callaeidae|

* Callaeas
* †Heteralocha
* Philesturnus

Climacteridae|

* Climacteris
* Cormobates

Cnemophilidae|

* Cnemophilus
* Loboparadisea

Dasyornithidae|

* Dasyornis

Maluridae|

| Amytornithinae|

* Amytornis

|

Malurinae|

| Malurini|

* Chenorhamphus
* Clytomyias
* Malurus
* Sipodotus

|

Stipiturini|

* Stipiturus

Melanocharitidae|

* Melanocharis
* Oedistoma
* Rhamphocharis
* Toxorhamphus

Meliphagidae|

* Acanthagenys
* Acanthorhynchus
* Anthochaera
* Anthornis
* Ashbyia
* Bolemoreus
* Caligavis
* Certhionyx
* Cissomela
* Conopophila
* Entomyzon
* Epthianura
* Foulehaio
* Gavicalis
* Gliciphila
* Glycichaera
* Glycifohia
* Grantiella
* Guadalcanaria
* Gymnomyza
* Lichenostomus
* Lichmera
* Macgregoria
* Manorina
* Meliarchus
* Melidectes
* Melilestes
* Melionyx
* Meliphacator
* Meliphaga
* Melipotes
* Melithreptus
* Melitograis
* Microptilotis
* Myza
* Myzomela
* Nesoptilotis
* Oreornis
* Plectorhyncha
* Philemon
* Phylidonyris
* Ptiloprora
* Ptilotula
* Prosthemadera
* Purnella
* Pycnopygius
* Ramsayornis
* Stomiopera
* Stresemannia
* Sugomel
* Territornis
* Timeliopsis
* Trichodere
* Vosea
* Xanthotis

Menuridae|

* Menura

Notiomystidae|

* Notiomystis

Orthonychidae|

* Orthonyx

†Palaeoscinidae|

* Palaeoscinis

Pardalotidae|

* Pardalotus

Pomatostomidae|

* Garritornis
* Pomatostomus

Ptilonorhynchidae|

* Ailuroedus
* Amblyornis
* Archboldia
* Chlamydera
* Prionodura
* Ptilonorhynchus
* Scenopoeetes
* †Sericuloides
* Sericulus

Corvides|

*     * See Corvides

Passerida|

*     * See Passerida

Taxon identifiers

Machetornis rixosa|

* Wikidata: Q656000
* Wikispecies: Machetornis rixosa
* ADW: Machetornis
* Avibase: 87874F973B876854
* BirdLife: 22700321
* BOLD: 69504
* BOW: cattyr
* CoL: 3WYVV
* eBird: cattyr
* EoL: 45511823
* GBIF: 2482934
* iNaturalist: 17289
* ITIS: 711541
* IUCN: 22700321
* NCBI: 495241
* Neotropical: cattyr
* Observation.org: 74048
* OBIS: 1034748
* Open Tree of Life: 175389
* WoRMS: 1034748
* Xeno-canto: Machetornis-rixosa

Machetornis|

* Wikidata: Q15878984
* Wikispecies: Machetornis
* BOLD: 69503
* CoL: 5J4K
* EoL: 45511822
* GBIF: 2482933
* iNaturalist: 17288
* IRMNG: 1324474
* ITIS: 557847
* NCBI: 495240
* Open Tree of Life: 175388
* WoRMS: 1034746
* ZooBank: D24EBEAB-00E8-4ACC-A500-EE594CE079CB

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template
*[†]: Extinct