Narrow-billed antwren

The narrow-billed antwren (Formicivora iheringi) is a species of bird in the family Thamnophilidae. It is endemic to eastern Brazil where it occurs in Bahia and Minas Gerais states. Its natural habitat is deciduous and semi-deciduous forest between 250 and 1,050 metres above sea level. It is threatened by habitat loss. The narrow-billed antwren is sometimes put in the monotypic genus Neorhopias.

Narrow-billed antwren
male at Boa Nova, Bahia State, Brazil

Near Threatened  (IUCN 3.1)[1]]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Thamnophilidae
Genus: Formicivora
Species:
F. iheringi
Binomial name
Formicivora iheringi
Hellmayr, 1909
Synonyms

Neorhopias iheringi

Description

The narrow-billed antwren exhibits sexual dimorphism. The male is dark grey, with a black breast. It has 2 white wing bars and white tips on the outer tail feathers. The female, however, is olive breasted and with brown wings.[2] It has been noted that these birds also look very similar to the silvery-flanked antwren.

Behavior

The narrow-billed antwren is a tree living bird, and is found in pairs or small mixed flocks. It engages in gleaning behavior while foraging and sometimes uses its tail to scare insects into flight.

References

  1. BirdLife International (2012). "Formicivora iheringi". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2012. Retrieved 26 November 2013.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  2. Grosset, Aurthur. "Narrow-billed Antwren - Formicivora Iheringi." South American Birds. N.p., Dec. 2008. Web. 14 Apr. 2014.

Ridgely, Robert S., and Guy Tudor. "Formicivora." Field Guide to the Songbirds of South America: The Passerines. Austin, TX: U of Texas, 2009. 153. Print.
Pictures of these birds can be found in the Internet Bird Collection

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