Dot-winged Antwren
Encyclopedia
The Dot-winged Antwren (Microrhopias quixensis) is a passerine
bird in the antbird
family. In the past it was sometimes known as the Velvety Antwren, and some of its more distinctive subspecies
have their own infrequently used English names. It is a resident in tropical Central
and South America
from southeastern Mexico
south to western Ecuador
, northern Bolivia
and central Brazil
. It is the only member of the genus Microrhopias.
This is a common bird of the understory of wet forest, especially at edges and clearings, tall second growth, and in cacao plantations. The female lays two brown-spotted white eggs which are incubated by both sexes, in a small, deep, plant fibre and dead leaf cup nest 1–12 m high in a tree on a thin twig in thick foliage. The male and female parents both feed the chicks.
The Dot-winged Antwren is a warbler-like
bird, typically 11 cm long, and weighing 8.5 g. The adult male is mainly velvety black, with a broad white wing bar and white spots on the wing coverts
. The female shares the male’s wing pattern, but has dark slate
upperparts and rufous
underparts. There are significant variations in the plumage
depending on the exact subspecies; in the male this mainly involves the amount of white in the wings and tail, and this is reflected in the female. However, in the female the subspecies also differ in the darkness of the upperparts (bicolor of the south-central Amazon
is relatively pale grey above), and the amount of rufous below (quixensis of the northwestern Amazon has a black throat, nigriventris found along the east Andean slope in Peru
has a black belly and chin, and emiliae of the southeastern Amazon has black underparts except for the rufous chest). Young birds are sooty-brown above, shading to dull cinnamon below. The underpart colouration is more extensive and more rufous in young females.
This species has a whistled peep call, and the song is an ascending whistle and trill, chee chee chee-che-che-chr,r,r,r, but with some geographical variations.
The Dot-winged Antwren is found as pairs or family groups, and sometimes with other antwrens as part of a mixed-species feeding flock
It feeds on small insect
s and other arthropod
s taken from twigs and foliage in the thickets or vine tangles. It is often seen foraging in more exposed positions than its relatives.
Passerine
A passerine is a bird of the order Passeriformes, which includes more than half of all bird species. Sometimes known as perching birds or, less accurately, as songbirds, the passerines form one of the most diverse terrestrial vertebrate orders: with over 5,000 identified species, it has roughly...
bird in the antbird
Antbird
The antbirds are a large family, Thamnophilidae, of passerine birds found across subtropical and tropical Central and South America, from Mexico to Argentina. There are more than 200 species, known variously as antshrikes, antwrens, antvireos, fire-eyes, bare-eyes and bushbirds...
family. In the past it was sometimes known as the Velvety Antwren, and some of its more distinctive subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
have their own infrequently used English names. It is a resident in tropical Central
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
and South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
from southeastern Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
south to western Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
, northern Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
and central Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. It is the only member of the genus Microrhopias.
This is a common bird of the understory of wet forest, especially at edges and clearings, tall second growth, and in cacao plantations. The female lays two brown-spotted white eggs which are incubated by both sexes, in a small, deep, plant fibre and dead leaf cup nest 1–12 m high in a tree on a thin twig in thick foliage. The male and female parents both feed the chicks.
The Dot-winged Antwren is a warbler-like
New World warbler
The New World warblers or wood-warblers are a group of small, often colorful, passerine birds restricted to the New World. They are not related to the Old World warblers or the Australian warblers....
bird, typically 11 cm long, and weighing 8.5 g. The adult male is mainly velvety black, with a broad white wing bar and white spots on the wing coverts
Covert (feather)
A covert feather on a bird is one of a set of feathers, called coverts, which as the name implies, cover other feathers. The coverts help to smooth airflow over the wings and tail.- Wing-coverts :...
. The female shares the male’s wing pattern, but has dark slate
Slate gray
Slate is a gray color with a slight azure tinge that is a representation of the average color of the material slate.The first recorded use of slate gray as a color name in English was in 1705...
upperparts and rufous
Rufous
Rufous is a colour that may be described as reddish-brown or brownish-red, as of rust or oxidised iron.The first recorded use of rufous as a colour name in English was in the year 1782....
underparts. There are significant variations in the plumage
Plumage
Plumage refers both to the layer of feathers that cover a bird and the pattern, colour, and arrangement of those feathers. The pattern and colours of plumage vary between species and subspecies and can also vary between different age classes, sexes, and season. Within species there can also be a...
depending on the exact subspecies; in the male this mainly involves the amount of white in the wings and tail, and this is reflected in the female. However, in the female the subspecies also differ in the darkness of the upperparts (bicolor of the south-central Amazon
Amazon Rainforest
The Amazon Rainforest , also known in English as Amazonia or the Amazon Jungle, is a moist broadleaf forest that covers most of the Amazon Basin of South America...
is relatively pale grey above), and the amount of rufous below (quixensis of the northwestern Amazon has a black throat, nigriventris found along the east Andean slope in Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
has a black belly and chin, and emiliae of the southeastern Amazon has black underparts except for the rufous chest). Young birds are sooty-brown above, shading to dull cinnamon below. The underpart colouration is more extensive and more rufous in young females.
This species has a whistled peep call, and the song is an ascending whistle and trill, chee chee chee-che-che-chr,r,r,r, but with some geographical variations.
The Dot-winged Antwren is found as pairs or family groups, and sometimes with other antwrens as part of a mixed-species feeding flock
Mixed-species feeding flock
A mixed-species feeding flock, also termed a mixed-species foraging flock, mixed hunting party or informally bird wave, is a flock of usually insectivorous birds of different species, that join each other and move together while foraging...
It feeds on small insect
Insect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
s and other arthropod
Arthropod
An arthropod is an invertebrate animal having an exoskeleton , a segmented body, and jointed appendages. Arthropods are members of the phylum Arthropoda , and include the insects, arachnids, crustaceans, and others...
s taken from twigs and foliage in the thickets or vine tangles. It is often seen foraging in more exposed positions than its relatives.