Myrmotherula brachyura
The Pygmy Antwren (Myrmotherula brachyura) is a minute, hyperactive bird of the Amazonian understory, measuring a mere 7.5-8.5 cm (3-3.3 in) in length and weighing just 6-8 grams. It is among the smallest members of the antbird family (Thamnophilidae), distinguished by its exceptionally short tail, overall grey and black plumage, and prominent white wing-bars. Males sport a distinctive black throat and upper breast, contrasting with a white belly and a black back streaked with white, while fe...
Found primarily in lowland evergreen rainforests, this species inhabits the mid-story and canopy, favoring humid areas near water or in secondary growth, typically below 600 meters elevation.
Feeds almost exclusively on small arthropods, including insects and spiders, which it gleans actively from foliage and small branches.
The Pygmy Antwren is a highly diurnal and restless bird, constantly in motion as it forages. It employs an acrobatic gleaning technique, rapidly hopping and flitting among leaves and twigs to snatch small arthropods from the upper surfaces. This species is almost invariably observed as a key memb...
The Pygmy Antwren is a widespread resident across the Amazon Basin and the Guianas in South America. Its breeding and year-round range encompasses eastern Colombia, southern and eastern Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, eastern Ecuador, eastern Peru, northern Bolivia, and vast areas of ...
Least Concern
- The Pygmy Antwren is one of the smallest antbird species, often weighing less than a quarter of an ounce. - It is a 'nuclear species' in mixed-species foraging flocks, meaning its presence often attracts and stabilizes groups of other bird species. - Despite its tiny size, its high-pitched, acc...