Cherrie's antwren is a species of bird in subfamily Thamnophilinae of family Thamnophilidae, the "typical antbirds". It is found in Brazil, Colombia, Peru, and Venezuela.
Region
Western and central Amazon Basin
Typical Environment
Occurs in lowland evergreen rainforest across parts of Brazil, Colombia, Peru, and Venezuela. It is most frequent in dense understory of terra firme forest but also uses seasonally flooded várzea and river-edge thickets. Individuals keep to the lower to mid understory, moving methodically through vine tangles, Heliconia stands, and bamboo patches. The species is typically found in intact or lightly disturbed forest, and is less common in heavily fragmented habitats.
Altitude Range
0–800 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Cherrie's antwren is a small understory antbird of Amazonian lowland forests, often accompanying mixed-species flocks. It forages quietly in dense cover, gleaning tiny insects from leaves and twigs. The species was named in honor of American naturalist George K. Cherrie. It belongs to the antbird family (Thamnophilidae), whose members sometimes attend army-ant swarms to catch flushed prey.
Temperament
skulking and active
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Usually found in pairs or small family groups and commonly joins mixed-species understory flocks. Forages by gleaning and short hover-gleans in dense cover a few meters above ground. Nest is a small cup placed low in vegetation; both parents participate in care. Territorial during breeding but tolerant of other species when flocking.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A thin, high-pitched series of notes or a short, rapid trill that may slightly accelerate, delivered from low perches. Calls are sharp, high tsip or tsee notes used to keep contact in dense understory. Vocalizations can be easily overlooked amid insect noise.
Plumage
Small antwren with marked sexual dimorphism: males are dark gray to blackish with crisp white wingbars and contrasting white in the flanks; females are warm brown to buff with paler underparts and lighter wingbars. Both sexes have fine, short, slender bills suited to picking small arthropods. Plumage is generally clean and unspotted, with neat contrasts rather than bold barring.
Diet
Primarily consumes small arthropods, including beetles, ants, spiders, and caterpillars. It picks prey from leaf surfaces, petioles, and fine twigs, and occasionally hover-gleans to snatch items from the underside of leaves. The species sometimes attends army-ant swarms to capture flushed insects but more often forages independently or within mixed flocks.
Preferred Environment
Feeds in dense understory of terra firme and seasonally flooded forests, especially in vine tangles, Heliconia stands, and bamboo thickets. Often forages along shaded forest edges and stream banks where cover is thick.
