Amazonian streaked antwren

Appearance

The Amazonian streaked antwren is about 10 cm long and is very similar in appearance to the Guianan streaked antwren and the Pacific antwren, and for a long time they were considered to be conspecific; however, there are some differences in the plumage and the vocalizations of each are distinctive. The male Amazonian streaked antwren has a black head, black upper parts streaked with white, a semi-concealed white dorsal patch, and black wings with two white bars. The underparts are white streaked with black. The female has an orange-rufous crown and nape but otherwise the upper parts are similar to the male. Her underparts are ochre with fine black streaks and a paler belly. The song is more musical than that of the Guianan streaked antwren. It also utters various trills and call notes.

Distribution

The Amazonian streaked antwren occurs in eastern Colombia, southern Venezuela, eastern Ecuador, eastern Peru, and western and central Brazil. The northernmost boundary of its range coincides with the Amazon River and the lower stretches of its left-bank tributary, the Rio Negro. The southernmost boundary is Mato Grosso and northern Bolivia.

Status

The Amazonian streaked antwren has a very wide range and is said to be fairly common in suitable habitat. The population trend is thought to be stable and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated the bird's conservation status as being of "least concern".

Habitat

Its typical habitat is the undergrowth and middle storey of seasonally-flooded forest, swamps and the vicinity of rivers. It typically forages for spiders, caterpillars and other small invertebrate prey in pairs or small groups. Its maximum altitude is around 550 m.