Guianan warbling antbird

Hypocnemis cantator

Photo by Michel Giraud-Audine (Oiseaux)

Common name:
Guianan warbling antbird (en); cantador-da-Guiana (pt); alapi carillonneur (fr); hormiguero cantador de Guyana (es); Guyana-ameisenschnäpper (de)


Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Thamnophilidae


Range:
This species is found in the Guyanas, in eastern Venezuela and in north-eastern Brazil, north of the Amazon river and east of the Negro and Branco rivers.


Size:
The Guianan warbling antbird is 11-12 cm long and weigh 13-14 g.


Habitat:
These birds are mostly found along the edges of moist and swamp forests, in secondary woodlands and along rivers, streams and marshes. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 1.300 m.


Diet:
They glean spiders and small insects from trunks and branches, in dense tangles of vegetation.


Breeding:
Guianan warbling antbirds build a pouch-shaped pensile nest, located beside a trunk or large branch, about 1 m above the ground. There the female lays 2 pinkish eggs with purple streaks and spots, which are incubated by both sexes for 12-13 days. The chicks are cared for by both parents and fledge 11-13 days after hatching.


Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least concern)
This species has a large breeding range and is described as fairly common to common. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.