Moustached Antwren

The Moustached Antwren is a species of small Neotropical bird in the Thamnophilidae family. It has two allopatric subspecies, both sometimes considered separate monotypic species: The Griscom's Antwren ignota) is found the Chocó of north-western Ecuador, western Colombia and eastern Panama, and the Short-billed Antwren obscura) is found in the Amazon of north-eastern Peru, eastern Ecuador, south-eastern Colombia and north-western Brazil. The former has sometimes been considered conspecific with the Pygmy Antwren, but based on voices it has been recommended treating ignota and obscura as a subspecies of a single species. Both are found in the sub-canopy of humid lowland forests.

The Moustached Antwren is classified as Least Concern. Does not qualify for a more at risk category. Widespread and abundant taxa are included in this category.

primary, virgin lowland forest, is Moustached Antwren (below, in my own very marginal photo). Back when I took this shot in 1987, it was known as "Short-billed Antwren Myrmotherula obscura" and its actual relationships were not sorted out until recently (see Zimmer & Isler 2003). To the birder, these flocks are both exciting and frustrating. One may have walked an hour and seen nothing in the humid heat of the jungle, and then suddenly there are birds all around. More

The Moustached Antwren (Myrmotherula ignota) is a species of small Neotropical bird in the Thamnophilidae family. It has two allopatric subspecies, both sometimes considered separate monotypic species: The Griscom's Antwren (M. (i.) ignota) is found the Chocó of north-western Ecuador, western Colombia and eastern Panama, and the Short-billed Antwren (M. (ignota) obscura) is found in the Amazon of north-eastern Peru, eastern Ecuador, south-eastern Colombia and north-western Brazil. More

* Moustached Antwren (Myrmotherula ignota): It has two allopatric subspecies, both sometimes considered separate monotypic species: * Griscom's Antwren (Myrmotherula (ignota) ignota): Found the Choc More

of Moustached Antwren for Myrmotherula ignota. The other two names have always been applied to the component subspecies of ignota separately. Short-billed is much less appropriate when ignota is included with obscura. As for Griscom's Antwren, the Isler's rightly note it was Zimmer who really gave us the first understanding that there were multiple taxa in this group. Griscom did not recognize his bird as deserving of specific status, treating it as conspecific with brachyura and providing only a brief description. More