Rufous-bellied Antwren

Overview

The rufous-bellied antwren (Isleria guttata) is a species of bird in the family Thamnophilidae, commonly known as typical antbirds. It is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List and is considered uncommon to fairly common within its range.

Identification

• Adult males are mostly gray with a white patch between the scapulars, pale cinnamon spots on the uppertail coverts, and a tawny lower belly, flanks, and crissum.
• Adult females have olive-gray upperparts and a grayish olive breast, otherwise resembling males.
• The species is 8.5 to 9.5 cm long with a very short tail.
• Its song is a very high, almost level series of 15-20 piercing, well-separated 'tzeet' notes, with the first few slightly drawn out.

Habitat

This species inhabits terra firme evergreen forest, favoring areas with shady undergrowth, leaf litter, and proximity to slow-moving streams or wet spots. Its range extends from southern Venezuela's Bolívar and Amazonas states east through the Guianas and into Brazil north of the Amazon and east of the Negro rivers, occurring from sea level to 600 m in elevation.

Diet

The diet includes insects and spiders, though it has not been fully detailed. Foraging typically occurs from the ground up to 1 m, but may reach up to 2 m, involving active gleaning from leaves, stems, and branches by reaching from a perch and making short jumps. It has also been observed following army ant swarms in Brazil, Guyana, and Suriname.

Did you know?

The rufous-bellied antwren and the plain-throated antwren share the genus Isleria and form a superspecies, despite the rufous-bellied species being monotypic.