Ferruginous-backed Antbird

About the Ferruginous-backed Antbird

The ferruginous-backed antbird (Myrmoderus ferrugineus) is a species of passerine bird in subfamily Thamnophilinae of family Thamnophilidae, the "typical antbirds". It is found in Brazil, French Guyana, Guyana, Suriname, and Venezuela.

The ferruginous-backed antbird was formerly included in the genus Myrmeciza. A molecular phylogenetic study published in 2013 found that Myrmeciza, as then defined, was polyphyletic. In the resulting rearrangement to create monophyletic genera, four species including the ferruginous-backed antbird were moved to the resurrected genus Myrmoderus.

The ferruginous-backed antbird has two subspecies, the nominate M. f. ferrugineus (Statius Müller, PL, 1776) and M. f. elutus (Zimmer, J.T., 1927). The ferruginous-backed antbird is 14 to 15 cm (5.5 to 5.9 in) long and weighs 24 to 29 g (0.85 to 1.0 oz). Adult males of the nominate subspecies have a bright chestnut crown, upperparts, and flight feathers. Their wing coverts are black with wide pale cinnamon-buff tips. Their tail is rufous-brown. Their eye is surrounded by bare blue skin. Their face, throat, breast, and upper belly are black with a white line separating... Wikipedia →