Thamnophilus murinus
The Mouse-colored Antshrike (Thamnophilus murinus) is a small, cryptically plumaged antbird, typically measuring 13-14 cm (5.1-5.5 inches) in length and weighing between 15-20 grams. Males are characterized by their uniform, soft mouse-gray plumage, often with slightly darker flight feathers and a subtly paler belly, making them highly camouflaged within their dense understory habitat. Females exhibit distinct sexual dimorphism, featuring a contrasting rufous-brown crown and upperparts, trans...
This antshrike primarily inhabits the dense understory and mid-story of humid lowland evergreen forests, including terra firme and seasonally flooded várzea forests. It typically occurs from sea level up to approximately 500-700 meters in elevation.
The diet of the Mouse-colored Antshrike consists almost exclusively of insects and other small arthropods, which it obtains primarily by gleaning from foliage, branches, and occasionally by short sally-flights.
The Mouse-colored Antshrike is predominantly a solitary or pair-bonded species, moving deliberately and often secretively through the dense vegetation during daylight hours, usually staying close to the ground. Foraging involves meticulously gleaning insects from foliage, twigs, and bark, with oc...
The Mouse-colored Antshrike boasts an extensive distribution across the Amazon Basin and the Guianan Shield in northern South America, where it is a resident species. Its range spans eastern Colombia, southern and eastern Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana, continuing south through ea...
Least Concern
- The scientific name *murinus* is Latin for "mouse-like," directly referencing the male's uniform, muted gray plumage. - Unlike many antbirds, it is not known to be a regular follower of army ant swarms, preferring to forage independently. - Its song is often described as sounding like a "creaky...