Rio Suno Antwren (Myrmotherula sunensis)

Identification & Behavior: ~10.5 cm (4.1 in). The male Rio Suno Antwren is slaty-gray with a black throat and bib that extends to the middle of the belly.  It has white wing bars. The female is mostly brown with more saturated rufous-brown underparts, without wing bars.  It forages in the mid-story of the forest often along with mixed species flocks. It is similar to the Long-winged Antwren but is distinguished by a darker plumage and more extensive black on the throat, breast, and belly. Also, see the also similar Slaty Antwren. (*) The bird shown above is the very similar Slaty Antwren. No photo of a Rio Suno Antwren is available at the moment.

Status: The Rio Suno Antwren is uncommon and restricted to a small region between Pasco and Huanuco at elevations ranging between 300-700 m. It has also been recorded in Loreto. The Rio Suno Antwren also occurs in Co, Ec, and Br.

Name in Spanish: Hormiguerito del Suno.

Sub-species: Rio Suno Antwren (Myrmotherula sunensis sunensis), Chapman, 1925.  SC Colombia (E slope of Andes in Meta and Putumayo) and Ecuador (Sucumbios, Napo, Pastaza); specimen from “mouth of R Curaray” (Peru) may have originated from Ecuador.
(Myrmotherula sunensis yessupi), J. Bond, 1950.  EC Peru (Huánuco, Pasco); also SW Amazonian Brazil (R Juruá but precise location uncertain, probably also R Javarí).

Meaning of Name: Myrmotherula: Gr. Combination word myrmothera= a genus (Velliot,1916,
antpitta) Myrmotherula= diminutive of Myrmothera. sunensis: In reference to Río Suno, eastern Ecuador.

See more of the Family Thamnophilidae