Dusky Antbird (Cercomacra tyrannina)

Dusky Antbird (Cercomacra tyrannina)

[order] PASSERIFORMES | [family] Thamnophilidae | [latin] Cercomacra tyrannina | [UK] Dusky Antbird | [FR] Fourmilie sombre | [DE] Tyrannen-Ameisenfanger | [ES] Hormiguerito Maranero | [NL] Tiranmiervogel

The Dusky Antbird is typically 14.5 cm long, and weighs 18 g. The adult male is mainly blackish-grey above and paler grey below, with two white wing bars. The female has brown upperparts and rufous-cinnamon underparts. Young birds, especially males, are darker than the adults. Exact plumage shades vary geographically, since there are a number of subspecies of this antbird.

Latin America : Southeast Mexico through North Amazonia

It is common along the edges of forests, capoeiras and shrubby clearings. It lives in pairs, hidden in dense vegetation close to the ground, and is frequently heard. It is found in the understory thickets of wet forest, especially at edges and clearings, and in adjacent tall second growth.

The female lays two reddish-brown-spotted white eggs, which are incubated for about 2 weeks by both sexes during ghe day and by the female only at night. The is nest a small, deep, plant fibre and dead leaf pouch shaped cup. It is suspended from the fork of a thin branch or vine low in a tree about 1-3 meter above ground. The male and female parents both feed the chicks. The chicks fledge after about 11 days

The Dusky Antbird is normally found as pairs throughout the year and does not join mixed-species feeding flocks. It feeds on insects and other arthropods taken from twigs and foliage in thickets or vine tangles. It is easier to hear than see in its dense habitat.

This species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). The population trend appears to be stable, and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size is very large, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.

Sedentary throughout range.