Ihering’s Antwren (Myrmotherula iheringi)

Identification & Behavior: ~10 cm (4 in). The male Ihering’s Antwren is gray with a large black bib that extends to the breast.  It has black wing coverts with white dots that form wing bars. The tail is short and black. The female has grayish upperparts with black wing coverts and white dots that form wing bars. The underparts are buffy-brown. Both sexes wag the tail from side to side in a characteristic manner. It forages in the understory of the forest and is associated with stands of Guadua Bamboo. It is similar to the male Long-winged Antwren but is distinguished by smaller size, and by waging the tail from side to side. The female is unique in having a plain buffy throat and underparts, and black wing coverts with white wing bars. Also, see the male Ornate Stiplethroat.

Status: The Ihering’s Antwren is uncommon and largely restricted to the Madre de Dios Region. It is known to range up to 900 m along the foothill of the Andes. The Ihering’s Antwren also occurs in Br and Bo.

Name in Spanish: Hormiguerito de Ihering.

Sub-species: Ihering’s Antwren (Myrmotherula iheringi heteroptera), Todd, 1927.

Meaning of Name: Myrmotherula: Gr. Combination word myrmothera= a genus (Velliot,1916, antpitta) Myrmotherula= diminutive of Myrmothera. iheringi: In honor of Hermann Friedrich Albrecht von Ihering (or Jhering) (1850-1930) German zoologist, collector in Brazil 1880-1920.

See more of the Family Thamnophilidae