Slaty Antwren

About the Slaty Antwren

The slaty antwren (Myrmotherula schisticolor) is a small passerine bird in subfamily Thamnophilinae of family Thamnophilidae, the "typical antbirds". It is found from Mexico south through Central America, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.

The slaty antwren has three subspecies, the nominate M. s. schisticolor (Lawrence, 1865), M. s. sanctaemartae (Allen, JA, 1900), and M. s. interior (Chapman, 1914). The slaty antwren, Rio Suno antwren (M. sunensis), and Salvadori's antwren (M. minor) have similar morphology, behavior, and voices and may form a monophyletic group.

The slaty antwren is 9 to 12 cm (3.5 to 4.7 in) long and weighs 8.5 to 10 g (0.30 to 0.35 oz). It is a smallish bird with a short tail. Adult males of the nominate subspecies are mostly dark gray with a hidden white patch between the shoulders. Their tail is dark gray with thin white edges to the feathers. Their wings are dark gray with white tips on the coverts. Their throat and upper breast are black; their crissum is dark gray with whitish tips on the feathers. Adult females have grayish olive upperparts with a browner tail. Their wings are browner than the back with... Wikipedia →