The dot-winged antwren or velvety antwren is a passerine bird in subfamily Thamnophilinae of family Thamnophilidae, the "typical antbirds". It is found in Mexico, every Central American country except El Salvador, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, and Suriname.
Region
Mesoamerica and the Amazon Basin-Guianas
Typical Environment
Occurs from southern Mexico through all Central American countries except El Salvador, and widely across northern South America including Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana. Inhabits humid lowland and foothill evergreen forests, second growth, forest edges, and vine or bamboo tangles. Most active in the shaded understory, typically 0.5–4 m above ground, and often near streams or in dense thickets. Commonly associates with mixed-species flocks and moves deliberately through foliage while gleaning prey.
Altitude Range
0–1200 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Also called the velvety antwren, this species shows striking sexual dimorphism: males are velvety black with bold white wing dots, while females are rich rufous with spotted wings. It forages low in the understory, often in pairs, and frequently joins mixed-species flocks. Pairs commonly duet, making vocalizations an important cue for detection in dense habitat.
Temperament
pairs-oriented and moderately territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats between low perches
Social Behavior
Usually found in pairs or small family groups, often joining mixed-species understory flocks. Nests are typically placed low in dense vegetation. Pairs maintain contact with frequent soft calls and may perform coordinated foraging.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A rapid series of high, thin notes and trills, often delivered as a duet between mates. Calls include sharp chips and soft contact notes that carry in dense understory.
Plumage
Male is velvety black with prominent white spots on the wing coverts; female is warm rufous to cinnamon with darker wings marked by pale to white spots and a paler underside.
Diet
Primarily small arthropods, including insects such as ants, beetles, caterpillars, and spiders. Prey is gleaned from leaves, twigs, and suspended dead foliage. Occasionally makes short sallies or hover-gleans to pick insects from the undersides of leaves and will at times attend army-ant swarms opportunistically.
Preferred Environment
Feeds in dense understory, vine tangles, and along forest edges or streamside thickets. Often forages 0.5–4 m above ground within shaded, cluttered microhabitats and within mixed-species flocks.
