| Trilling gnatwren | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Call recorded in Ecuador | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Polioptilidae |
| Genus: | Ramphocaenus |
| Species: | R. melanurus |
| Binomial name | |
| Ramphocaenus melanurus Vieillot, 1819 | |
 | |
The trilling gnatwren (Ramphocaenus melanurus), formerly long-billed gnatwren, is a very small bird in the gnatcatcher family. It found from southeast Mexico south to Ecuador and Amazonia.
The trilling gnatwren was described by the French ornithologist Louis Pierre Vieillot in 1819 from a specimen collected in Brazil. He coined the binomial name Ramphocaenus melanurus. [2] The genus name Ramphocaenus means "unusual beak", from the Ancient Greek rhamphos (ῥάµϕος, "beak") [3] and cænos ( καινός , "strange"). [4] The specific epithet combines the Ancient Greek melas "black" and oura "tail". [5] A molecular phylogenetic study published in 2018 found that two subspecies of Ramphocaenus melanurus formed a separate clade. [6] The subspecies were split off to become the chattering gnatwren and the English name of this species was changed from "long-billed gnatwren" to "trilling gnatwren". [7]
Thirteen subspecies are recognised: [7]
Adult trilling gnatwrens are 12–13 cm (4.7–5.1 in) in length and weigh 8–11 g (0.28–0.39 oz). [8] They have a long, thin bill and a short cocked tail. The upperparts are grey-brown, with rufous on the sides of the head. The throat is white, shading to buff on the rest of the underparts. The tail is black with white tips to all but the central feathers, and is frequently wagged. R. m. trinitatis, of eastern Colombia, Venezuela and Trinidad has paler underparts, and buff flanks and head sides. The call is a trilled drdrdrdrdrdrdrdrdrdr.
It is found in the undergrowth and vines of dry forest and secondary woodland from Mexico south to Peru and Brazil, and on Trinidad.
Trilling gnatwrens build a deep cup nest very low in a small plant or sapling. The two white eggs are incubated by both parents for 16–17 days to hatching, with a further 11–12 days to fledging.
Trilling gnatwrens forage actively in vegetation, eating mainly insects, insect eggs and spiders. They usually occur in pairs or family groups.
The pale-breasted spinetail is a passerine bird in the Furnariinae subfamily of the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is found in Costa Rica, Panama, Trinidad, and in every mainland South American country except Chile and Ecuador.
The rufous-browed peppershrike is a passerine bird in the vireo family. It is widespread and often common in woodland, forest edge, and cultivation with some tall trees from Mexico and Trinidad south to Argentina and Uruguay.
The tropical mockingbird is a resident breeding bird from southern Mexico to northern and eastern South America and in the Lesser Antilles and other Caribbean islands.
The golden-olive woodpecker is a species of bird in the subfamily Picinae of the woodpecker family Picidae. It is found from Mexico south and east through Panama, in every mainland South American country except Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay, and Trinidad and Tobago.
The red-crowned ant tanager is a medium-sized passerine bird from tropical America. The genus Habia was long placed with the tanagers (Thraupidae), but it is actually closer to the cardinals (Cardinalidae). Consequently, it can be argued that referring to the members of this genus as ant-tanagers is misleading, but no other common name has gained usage.
The great antshrike is a passerine bird in subfamily Thamnophilinae of family Thamnophilidae, the "typical antbirds". It is found in southern Mexico, in every Central American country except El Salvador, on Trinidad, and in every mainland South American country except Chile, though only as a vagrant in Uruguay.
The streaked xenops is a passerine bird in the Furnariinae subfamily of the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is found in the New World from Costa Rica and Trinidad south to Bolivia and Argentina.
The tropical gnatcatcher is a small active insectivorous songbird, which is a resident species throughout a large part of northern South America. It was formerly considered as conspecific with the white-browed gnatcatcher.
The plain xenops is a passerine bird in the Furnariinae subfamily of the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is found in the tropical New World from southern Mexico south as far as northern Bolivia and east across Brazil.
The wedge-billed woodcreeper is a sub-oscine passerine bird in subfamily Dendrocolaptinae of the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is found in Mexico, Central America, Brazil, Bolivia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela.
The fawn-breasted tanager is a species of tanager with a blue head and yellow breast. It occurs in the Andes of northwestern Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela, as well as in the highlands of northeastern Argentina, south Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.
The white-fronted nunbird is a species of near-passerine bird in the family Bucconidae, the puffbirds, nunlets, and nunbirds. It is found Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela.
The plumbeous pigeon is a species of bird in the family Columbidae. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela.
The yellow-backed tanager is a species of bird in the family Thraupidae, the tanagers. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname; also extreme eastern Panama in Central America. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and heavily degraded former forest.
The tawny-faced gnatwren or half-collared gnatwren is a species of bird in the family Polioptilidae, the gnatcatchers. It is found in Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Panama, and Peru.
The collared gnatwren is a species of bird in the family Polioptilidae, the gnatcatchers. It is found in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela.
The black-tailed leaftosser is a species of bird in the subfamily Sclerurinae, the leaftossers and miners, of the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela.
The black-tailed trogon is a species of bird in the family Trogonidae, the quetzals and trogons. It is found Panama and northern South America.
The chattering gnatwren is a species of bird in the family Polioptilidae, the gnatcatchers. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, and Peru.
Gr. rhamphos bill; kainos novel, strange.
