Long-billed Gnatwren
Ramphocaenus melanurus
Very small bird of humid tropical forest and edge. Favors vine tangles at mid-upper levels, where moves actively, holding its tail cocked and flopping it from side to side. Appearance is distinctive, with buffy face, very long thin bill, and fairly long tail with white tips. Similar to Chattering Gnatwren but lacks the extra white spots on outer tail feathers. Easily overlooked, but rising and falling trilled song reveals its presence.
Identification
Adult trilling gnatwrens are 12–13 cm (4.7–5.1 in) in length and weigh 8–11 g (0.28–0.39 oz). They have a long, thin bill and a short cocked tail. The upperparts are grey-brown, with rufous on the sides of the head. The throat is white, shading to buff on the rest of the underparts. The tail is black with white tips to all but the central feathers, and is frequently wagged. R. m. trinitatis, of eastern Colombia, Venezuela and Trinidad has paler underparts, and buff flanks and head sides.The call is a trilled drdrdrdrdrdrdrdrdrdr.
Taxonomy
The trilling gnatwren was described by the French ornithologist Louis Pierre Vieillot in 1819 from a specimen collected in Brazil. He coined the binomial name Ramphocaenus melanurus. The genus name Ramphocaenus means "unusual beak", from the Ancient Greek rhamphos (ῥάµϕος, "beak") and cænos (καινός, "strange"). The specific epithet combines the Ancient Greek melas "black" and oura "tail". A molecular phylogenetic study published in 2018 found that two subspecies of Ramphocaenus melanurus formed a separate clade. The subspecies were split off to become the chattering gnatwren and the English name of this species was changed from "long-billed gnatwren" to "trilling gnatwren".<p>Thirteen subspecies are recognised:
- Scientific name
- Ramphocaenus melanurus
- Authority
- Vieillot, 1819
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Trogonidae
- Genus
- Ramphocaenus
Range and habitat
It is found in the undergrowth and vines of dry forest and secondary woodland from Mexico south to Peru and Brazil, and on Trinidad.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Trilling gnatwrens build a deep cup nest very low in a small plant or sapling. The two white eggs are incubated by both parents for 16–17 days to hatching, with a further 11–12 days to fledging.<p>Trilling gnatwrens forage actively in vegetation, eating mainly insects, insect eggs and spiders. They usually occur in pairs or family groups.
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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Sabine's Puffback
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A relatively large-billed shrike-like bird primarily found in lowland forest canopy. Male is white below and iridescent black above except for a white rump. The female is overall reddish brown, with more reddish wings and a grayish hood. Similar to several bicolored shrikelike birds in the region, but note Sabine’s Puffback’s large bill, striking sexual dimorphism, and unique song, which consists of a distinctive series of long whistles descending in pitch before arriving at a single repeated pitch, growing louder, and then ending suddenly. Songs can sometimes last several minutes, and are more reminiscent of some Yellow Longbill songs than of the songs of other puffbacks. Calls include typical puffback-like rattles and harsh calls.
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