Southern Wing-banded Antbird - Myrmornis torquata

Southern Wing-banded Antbird Myrmornis torquata

Carajás, Pará, Brazil
February 2002

The Southern Wing-banded Antbird is found in 2 disjunct areas: the lower Amazon Basin and the Guianas and the area where the Colombian, Ecuadorian and Peruvian borders meet. See the distribution map at Birdlife International.

It is fairly confiding and can be seen on or near the ground inside tall forest. Normally in pairs it flicks leaves over to look for invertebrate prey.

It has a short tail, short legs and a long bill and overall is a decidedly oddly proportioned bird. The male has a black throat and chest with a wide border of white scaled feathers. Its back is a rather cryptically patterned brown which blends in far too well with the leaves it is rummaging about in. The female has a rufous throat and chest.

References: The Wilson Bulletin: Vol. 117, No. 1, pp. 103-105. The Nest and Nestlings of the Wing-banded Antbird (Myrmornis torquata) from Southern Guyana Nathan H. Rice, and Christopher M. Milensky ABSTRACT: The Wing-banded Antbird (Myrmornis torquata) is a poorly known suboscine passerine found in lowland Amazonian forests. Here, we present new information about the nest and nestlings of this enigmatic species. Our findings differ from previous observations and notes on clutch size.

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