Small antwren of understory and midstory of lowland rainforest. Males are dark gray with white wing bars and an extensive black throat patch; females are more geographically variable, but are generally reddish brown above and pale tan below north of the Amazon River, and grayish brown above, light buffy tan below south of the Amazon. Males similar to Ihering’s Antwren, which has a more extensive black throat patch and different voice, and Gray Antwren, which has a smaller black throat patch, or no black on throat at all. Females particularly similar to Gray Antwren south of the Amazon, but usually more evenly-colored; distinguished from female Ihering’s Antwren by lack of wing bars. One of the most common members of mixed species flocks, where can be easily detected by nasal “ee-eww” whines.