The Rio Negro gnatcatcher is a species of bird in the family Polioptilidae. It is endemic to Brazil.
Region
Northwestern Amazonia
Typical Environment
Occurs along and near the Rio Negro and adjacent tributaries in northwestern Brazil, primarily within Amazonas and nearby regions. It frequents lowland rainforest edges, riverine scrub, island thickets, and white-sand (campinarana) forests. Birds forage from the understory to mid-canopy, especially in vine tangles and along light gaps. It can also use secondary growth and forest-fringing habitats, provided there is dense foliage.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 400 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 2/5
The Rio Negro gnatcatcher is a tiny, hyperactive insect hunter that flicks and fans its long tail while foraging. It is closely related to other Amazonian gnatcatchers but is restricted to habitats around the Rio Negro in northwestern Brazil. Often joining mixed-species flocks, it forages methodically through foliage and vine tangles. Its thin, sibilant song can be easy to overlook amid rainforest sounds.
Temperament
social and active
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Usually found in pairs or small family groups and commonly joins mixed-species foraging flocks. Pairs maintain small territories and communicate with soft contact calls. The nest is a small cup placed on a horizontal fork, and both sexes typically assist in care.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Song is a thin, sibilant series of high notes and short trills, delivered intermittently from mid-level perches. Calls include sharp, buzzy scolds and very fine tsee notes that can be hard to localize.
Plumage
Smooth blue-gray upperparts with clean whitish underparts and a long tail prominently edged with white outer feathers; wings lack obvious bars.
Diet
Feeds mainly on small insects and spiders, gleaning from leaves and twigs and occasionally sallying to snatch aerial prey. It methodically works through foliage, probing vine tangles and leaf clusters. Often forages alongside other small insectivores in mixed flocks, which helps flush hidden arthropods.
Preferred Environment
Forages along forest edges, riverine scrub, and in campinarana or secondary growth with dense understory. Tends to work the understory to midstory, particularly in gaps and along trails.
