Klages's Antwren
Myrmotherula klagesi
Tiny, compact antwren with a short tail. Males are gray and heavily streaked black. Females are similar but have an ochraceous tinge. Found in the canopy of seasonally flooded forests and on forested river islands. The song is a repetition of double notes: “teWic.” The male of Amazonian Streaked Antwren is rather similar but has a semi-concealed white back patch.
Identification
Klages's antwren is 9 to 10 cm (3.5 to 3.9 in) long and weighs 7.5 to 8.5 g (0.26 to 0.30 oz). It is a smallish bird with a tiny tail. Adult males have a black and white streaked face. Their crown, back, and rump are black with white streaks. Their tail is black with white edges and tips to the feathers. Their wings are black with white tips on the coverts and white edges on the flight feathers. Their throat, breast, and belly are white and their flanks and crissum grayer. Black streaks extend from the throat to the flanks and belly. Adult females have buff streaks (not white) on the head and upperparts. Their underparts are buff with black streaks that are mostly on the breast and sides.
Taxonomy
Klages's antwren is monotypic.<p>The species' English name and specific epithet commemorate Samuel M. Klages, who collected the first specimen in Santarém, Pará, Brazil.
- Scientific name
- Myrmotherula klagesi
- Authority
- Todd, 1927
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Thamnophilidae
- Genus
- Myrmotherula
Range and habitat
Klages's antwren is found in central Amazonian Brazil. It occurs only along the lower Rio Branco, Rio Negro, and Rio Madeira to their confluences with the Amazon and along the Amazon itself from somewhat upstream of the Rio Negro east to the mouth of the Rio Tapajós. It inhabits the subcanopy and canopy of lowland várzea and igapó evergreen forest, almost entirely below an elevation of 100 m (300 ft). It stays near the rivers including on islands.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Klages's antwren is believed to be a year-round resident throughout its range.<p>Klages's antwren feeds on arthropods, especially insects and spiders. It typically forages singly or in pairs and regularly joins mixed-species feeding flocks. It mostly feeds in dense foliage as high as (or beyond) 20 m (65 ft) above the ground, though it will descend to within about 3 m (10 ft) of the ground at the edges of watercourses and clearings. It actively seeks prey among leaves and vine tangles and along branches, gleaning by reaching, lunging, and with brief sallies from a perch.<p>Nothing is known about the breeding biology of Klages's antwren.<p>The song of Klages's antwren is a "short series of double notes 'teWic --'...(5-7 x)". Its call is a "high, dry 'tzik-tzik tzik -' ".
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
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