Myrmotherula snowi
The Alagoas Antwren (Myrmotherula snowi) is a diminutive and exceptionally rare passerine, an emblem of the highly threatened Atlantic Forest of northeastern Brazil. Males display a striking slate-gray plumage overall, contrasting with a distinct black throat patch, and black wings adorned with two prominent white wing-bars; their average length is around 9.5 cm and weight approximately 7-8 grams. Females are similar in size but lack the black throat, presenting a buffy throat and breast, oft...
Found exclusively in the dense understory and mid-story of humid montane Atlantic Forest, typically occurring at elevations between 400 and 1,000 meters above sea level.
Primarily insectivorous, feeding on small arthropods gleaned from the undersides of leaves, twigs, and bark within the forest canopy and understory.
Alagoas Antwrens are diurnal and highly active, spending their days foraging tirelessly within the forest's middle and lower strata. They employ an active gleaning foraging strategy, carefully scrutinizing leaves and twigs for insects, often making short, deliberate hops and quick lunges. This sp...
The Alagoas Antwren boasts one of the most restricted ranges of any bird species globally, being endemic to a few highly fragmented remnants of humid montane Atlantic Forest in northeastern Brazil. Its known distribution is confined to two small areas: the Serra do Urubu in northeastern Pernambuc...
Critically Endangered
- The Alagoas Antwren was only formally described in 1999, highlighting its historical obscurity and the rapid decline of its habitat before comprehensive surveys. - It is named after the Brazilian state of Alagoas, one of the two states where its minuscule range is found. - Its total estimated p...