Slender Antbird

Overview

The slender antbird is a Near Threatened species of bird in the family Thamnophilidae, endemic to eastern Brazil. It is the sole member of its genus, Rhopornis, and possesses no recognised subspecies.

Identification

• Measures 18 to 19 cm in length with a weight of 23 to 28 g.
• Males feature a gray crown and upperparts with blackish gray wings and tail, while females exhibit a russet crown and nape with paler underparts.
• Both sexes possess bright red irises and a white 'moustache' on a mostly gray face, with males having a black throat.
• The song consists of a high, loud, increasing series of seven to nine sharp 'peer' notes, often joined by the female.

Habitat

Found discontinuously in southeastern Bahia and northeastern Minas Gerais states, the species inhabits the understorey of dry mata-de-cipó forest and ecotones with humid forest or caatinga scrublands. It occurs at elevations ranging from 100 to 1,000 m above sea level.

Diet

Feeds on a variety of insects and spiders, foraging singly, in pairs, or in family groups primarily on the ground or within 4 m of it. It captures prey by gleaning, jumping, lunging from perches, and searching leaf litter in bromeliads while hopping between short stops and pumping its tail.

Did you know?

The species' one known nest was a low cup of dry leaves and vines resting on a leaf that drooped to the ground, containing two red-spotted pale pink eggs.