Wednesday, March 11, 2026

Cuban Pewee: 'Nature's Least Scary Tyrant'

 
Bird on tree branch

Cuban Pewee
 
The small bird featured here is a CUBAN PEWEE Contopus caribaeus bahamensis (sometimes called the Crescent-eyed Pewee - see image for why this is so). It is without a doubt a tyrant. At barely 6" long, it is the smallest tyrant you are likely to encounter in the Bahamas or indeed anywhere else. However it does happen to be a member of the family Tyranidae. These are the flycatchers, and on Abaco they include the larger LA SAGRA'S FLYCATCHERthe still larger LOGGERHEAD KINGBIRD and (a summer visitor only) the GRAY KINGBIRD (this last link explains the difference between the two kingbirds).