Klages's Antwren

Overview

Klages's antwren (Myrmotherula klagesi) is a small bird in the family Thamnophilidae, the typical antbirds, and is listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN. It is endemic to Brazil, where it is a year-round resident within a restricted range.

Identification

• Adults are 9 to 10 cm long with a tiny tail. Males feature a black and white streaked face, a black crown, back, and rump with white streaks, and white underparts with black streaks extending from the throat to the flanks.
• Females differ by having buff streaks on the head and upperparts, and buff underparts with black streaks mainly on the breast and sides.
• The song is described as a short series of double notes, 'teWic --' (5-7 times), while the call is a high, dry 'tzik-tzik tzik -'.

Habitat

Found in northern Amazonia, specifically along the Rio Branco, the confluences of the Rio Negro and Madeira, and the Amazon River east to the mouth of the Rio Tapajós. It inhabits the subcanopy and canopy of lowland várzea and igapó evergreen forest, almost entirely below 100 m in elevation, and remains close to rivers, including on islands.

Diet

This species feeds on arthropods, especially insects and spiders. It typically forages singly or in pairs and often joins mixed-species feeding flocks. Foraging occurs mostly in dense foliage up to 20 m above the ground, but it will descend near the ground at water edges, using methods such as reaching, lunging, and brief sallies from a perch.

Did you know?

Despite being fairly common to common in the Anavilhanas Archipelago on the Rio Negro, its small range and restricted habitat requirements are a cause for concern. The species was predicted to lose 30-59% of its habitat by 2020 due to agriculture, deforestation, and hydroelectric dam construction.