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Black-hooded Antwren (Formicivora erythronotos)
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Perequê, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
August 2002The Black-hooded Antwren is a Brazilian endemic classified as Endangered by Birdlife International. It was originally described by Hartlaub in 1852 but had not been seen for over 100 years when it was rediscovered in 1987.
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The rediscovery took place in some mangrove swamps on the coast of Rio de Janeiro state near Angra dos Reis. Subsequently it has been found in other sites close by but is not restricted to mangrove swamps and, in fact, it appears to be quite tolerant of secondary growth and is usually found in shrubby clearings. Here it forages within a few metres of the ground and usually in pairs. |
| At this particular site inland from Perequê in the valley of the Mambucaba, the birds are reasonably numerous in the right sort of habitat and we found 5 pairs within a fairly small area. Indeed, the density at this particular site has been recorded at 156 pairs/km². The handsome male is generally black with a rufous-chestnut back and narrow white wing-bars. It also has white flanks but these are often concealed and can't be seen in these photos. The female (photos 2 and 3) is similar but the black is replaced by olive-brown becoming ochraceous on the breast.
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| There are illustrations in Ridgely & Tudor, Volume 2, Plate 19; and Sick, Plate 45. |
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