Black-tailed Antbird

About the Black-tailed Antbird

The black-tailed antbird (Myrmoborus melanurus) is a Near Threatened species of bird in subfamily Thamnophilinae of family Thamnophilidae, the "typical antbirds". It is found in Brazil, Colombia, and Peru. The black-tailed antbird was described by the English ornithologists Philip Sclater and Osbert Salvin in 1866 and given the binomial name Hypocmenis melanurus. It was transferred to its present genus Myrmoborus in 1924.

The black-tailed antbird is monotypic. It and the white-lined antbird are sister species. The black-tailed antbird is 12 to 13 cm (4.7 to 5.1 in) long and weighs an average of about 18 g (0.63 oz). Adult males are mostly very dark gray. Their head, neck, throat, and wing coverts are blackish; the coverts have narrow white tips. Some individuals have a white patch between their scapulars. Adult females have a dull reddish brown crown. Their back and rump are medium brown. Their flight feathers are dusky brown and their wing coverts black with narrow white edges. Their tail feathers are dusky with medium brown edges. Their lores and face are gray. Their throat and underparts are mostly white with a buff band across... Wikipedia →