Long-billed gnatwren

Ramphocaenus melanurus

The long-billed gnatwren is a very small bird in the gnatcatcher family. It is the only member of the genus ''Ramphocaenus'' , which means ‘unusual beak’, from the Ancient Greek ''rhamphos'' and ''cænos'' .
Long-billed gnatwren (Ramphocaenus melanurus) Punta Laguna, Quintana Roo, Mexico. Apr 26, 2017 Geotagged,Long-billed gnatwren,Mexico,Ramphocaenus melanurus,Spring

Appearance

Adult long-billed gnatwrens are 10.9 cm long and weigh 10.3 g. They have a long, thin bill and a short cocked tail. The upperparts are grey-brown, with rufous on the sides of the head. The throat is white, shading to buff on the rest of the underparts. The tail is black with white tips to all but the central feathers, and is frequently wagged.

''R. m. trinitatis'', of eastern Colombia, Venezuela and Trinidad has paler underparts, and buff flanks and head sides.
Ramphocaenus melanurus  Long-billed gnatwren,Ramphocaenus melanurus

Habitat

It is found in the undergrowth and vines of dry forest and secondary woodland from Mexico south to Peru and Brazil, and on Trinidad.

Long-billed gnatwrens build a deep cup nest very low in a small plant or sapling. The two white eggs are incubated by both parents for 16–17 days to hatching, with a further 11–12 days to fledging.
Long-billed Gnatwren with indeed a long bill Colombia,El Dorado NP,Geotagged,Long-billed gnatwren,Ramphocaenus melanurus,Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta,Winter

Food

Long-billed gnatwrens forage actively in vegetation, eating mainly insects, insect eggs and spiders. The call is a trilled ''drdrdrdrdrdrdrdrdrdr''. This unmistakable bird usually occurs in pairs or family groups.

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Status: Least concern
EX EW CR EN VU NT LC
Taxonomy
KingdomAnimalia
DivisionChordata
ClassAves
OrderPasseriformes
FamilyPolioptilidae
GenusRamphocaenus
SpeciesR. melanurus