Rufous-rumped Antwren

Overview

The rufous-rumped antwren (Euchrepomis callinota) is a small bird in the family Thamnophilidae, the typical antbirds. It is a year-round resident found in humid foothill and montane forests across Central and South America.

Identification

• Small and slender with a long tail, ranging from 10 to 12 cm in length.
• Adult males have a black crown and nape, a bright rufous rump, and pale grey faces with blackish lores.
• Wings feature slate-grey coverts with pale yellow tips forming two distinct bars.
• Song is described as a rapidly uttered, high-pitched series that accelerates into a fast chipper or trill.

Habitat

This species inhabits the interior and edges of humid foothill and montane forest between elevations of 700 and 2,500 m. Its distribution is highly disjunct, spanning parts of Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana.

Diet

The rufous-rumped antwren feeds on arthropods, typically foraging in pairs that join mixed-species feeding flocks. It forages almost entirely in the forest canopy, acrobatically gleaning prey from leaves and sticks.

Did you know?

Although classified as Least Concern, the species is noted as rare in Costa Rica and uncommon in several other parts of its range, with its estimated population believed to be decreasing despite the absence of identified immediate threats.