Star-throated Antwren

Overview

The star-throated antwren (Rhopias gularis) is an insectivorous bird in the family Thamnophilidae, known as the typical antbirds. It is the sole member of its genus and is endemic to southeastern Brazil, where it is considered generally uncommon but is currently assessed as being of Least Concern.

Identification

• Measures 8.5 to 9.5 cm in length and weighs between 10 and 12 g.
• Adult males feature a rufous-brown crown and upperparts with a hidden white patch between the scapulars, a black throat with white spots, and gray underparts; females possess a buffy forehead, larger white throat spots, and lack the white scapular patch.
• Song consists of an extremely high, slightly lowered 'tzew-tzew--' repeated approximately six times, alongside a low 'tzeet-tzeet' call.

Habitat

Found in coastal southeastern Brazil ranging from southeastern Bahia south to northeastern Rio Grande do Sul and inland to western Paraná, the species inhabits the understorey of evergreen forests. It favours dense vegetation along streams in lowlands and in shady ravines within foothills, typically occurring between 300 and 1,550 m in elevation but extending down to sea level.

Diet

The diet includes insects and spiders, though specific details remain limited. The bird forages singly, in pairs, or within mixed-species flocks, typically operating from the ground up to 5 m, though it may reach as high as 8 m. It gleans prey from leaves and stems by reaching from perches and making short jumps, sometimes works through tangles of fallen branches, and has been recorded following army ant swarms.

Did you know?

The bird's nest is an open cup constructed from fine rootlets, fungal fibres, and dried leaves, suspended from slender horizontal stems or forks just 0.6 to 1 m above the ground, often positioned over or near watercourses.