About Knipolegus lophotes Boie, 1828
The crested black tyrant (Knipolegus lophotes Boie, 1828) measures 20 to 21 cm (7.9 to 8.3 in) in length. It is unique within its genus for bearing a long, thin crest. The two sexes share identical plumage, though males are slightly larger than females. Adult individuals are almost entirely a glossy blue-black color. Their flight feathers have white bases that are clearly visible during flight, but usually hidden when the bird is at rest. Both sexes have a dark red or reddish-brown iris, a black bill, and entirely black legs and feet. The crested black tyrant bears an extremely close resemblance in appearance to the phainopepla (Phainopepla nitens), a species belonging to the silky-flycatcher family Ptiliogonatidae. This level of close resemblance is often caused by competitive mimicry. While the two species live in similar types of landscapes, their geographic ranges are separated by more than 4,000 km (2,500 mi), so mimicry cannot explain the shared appearance. The crested black tyrant is distributed in Brazil, occurring from southern Bahia south to Rio Grande do Sul, and west to southern Mato Grosso. Its range extends beyond Brazil into northern and eastern Uruguay. A small, separate population of the species lives in Amambay Department in eastern Paraguay. The species inhabits shrubby cerrado grasslands and pastures, most commonly sites that include some groups of trees. Its elevation range extends from near sea level up to 1,100 m (3,600 ft).
