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Thamnophilidae
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Euchrepomis
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Chestnut-shouldered Antwren Euchrepomis humeralis Scientific name definitions

Kevin Zimmer and Morton L. Isler
Version: 1.0 — Published March 4, 2020
Text last updated January 1, 2003

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Originally Appeared in

HBW Alive

Introduction

Apparently closely related to both the Rufous-rumped Antwren (Terenura callinota) and the Yellow-rumped Antwren (Terenura sharpei), which are principally or exclusively found in the Andes, respectively, the Chestnut-shouldered Antwren shares a rufous rump patch with the first-named species. However, these two species seem to be entirely sympatric or elevationally parapatric in parts of eastern Peru, thereby minimizing the risk of confusion between them. The Chestnut-shouldered Antwren is a reasonably widespread and generally fairly common inhabitant of western Amazonia, from eastern Ecuador south to northwest Bolivia, and across western Brazil, where it occupies the canopy of terra firme and floodplain forests.

Field Identification

9·5–10·5 cm; 7–8 g. Male has black crown and nape, whitish supercilium, thin dark line through eye; back greenish-olive, rump rufous-chestnut, tail greyish-olive; wings blackish-grey, tinged olive, flight-feathers edged pale olive-yellow, greater and median coverts tipped whitish, bend of wing and hidden patch under scapulars rufous-chestnut; side of head, throat and anterior underparts pale grey, lower breast to vent pale yellow. Female resembles male, but crown, nape and eyeline olive-brown, supercilium pale grey, no hidden patch under scapulars, wings dark olive-brown, often a trace of chestnut on lesser wing-coverts.

Systematics History

Possible race transfluvialis was based on two individuals from a single location in W Brazil (Hyutanahan, on R Purus), but more thorough study of geographical variation required before any races can be confidently accepted. Monotypic.

Subspecies

Monotypic.

Distribution

E Ecuador (primarily S of R Napo), E Peru (S of R Napo), SW Amazonian Brazil (S Amazonas E to upper drainages of R Juruá, R Purus and R Madeira and N Rondônia) and NW Bolivia (Pando, N La Paz).

Habitat

Canopy and subcanopy of lowland evergreen forest, to 650 m. Found in both terra firme and transitional forests.

Movement

None recorded; presumed resident.

Diet and Foraging

Little published. Feeds on insects, probably also spiders; observed to take small moths (Lepidoptera), a caterpillar c. 12 mm long, and minute prey too small to be identified. Closely associated pair-members, individuals, or family groups forage mostly from 15 m above ground to the canopy, occasionally down to 8 m or lower at forest edges; almost invariably in company of mixed-species flocks of other insectivores. Moves restlessly and hyperactively through canopy and subcanopy; progresses by short hops, seldom pauses for more than 1 second to scan; forages mostly on terminal branchlets and foliage. Perch-gleans prey from tops and bottoms of live leaves, leaf petioles, vines and twigs, by reaching up, out or down with quick stabs of the bill; often hangs acrobatically head first or upside-down from leaf margins in manner of greenlets (Hylophilus) to glean prey from top surfaces of lower leaves; pursues escaping prey in fluttering and direct flight, and observed capturing prey in air. Occasionally probes dead leaves. Not known to follow army ants.

Sounds and Vocal Behavior

Loudsong a series of initially countable notes rising in pitch and shortening in length to become high-pitched trill, like that of E. callinota but possibly slower (e.g. 26 notes, 2·9 seconds).

Breeding

Little known. An individual observed as it gathered long strands of moss in Aug in SE Peru (Madre de Dios).

Conservation Status

Conservation status on Birdlife LC Least Concern
Not globally threatened. Fairly common throughout most parts of its range. This includes some large protected areas, e.g. Yasuní National Park, in Ecuador, Manu National Park and Biosphere Reserve and Tambopata-Candamo Reserved Zone, in Peru, Serra do Divisor National Park, in Brazil, and Madidi National Park, in Bolivia; also vast contiguous areas of intact, suitable habitat which, although not formally protected, appear to be in little danger of development in near future. Recent fieldwork has shown species’ range to be much more extensive than previously thought, reaching S to Bolivia (at Camino Mucden, in Pando, and at Alto Madidi, in La Paz) and E to Rondônia, in Brazil.
Distribution of the Chestnut-shouldered Antwren - Range Map
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Distribution of the Chestnut-shouldered Antwren

eBird and Macaulay Library

Recommended Citation

Zimmer, K. and M.L. Isler (2020). Chestnut-shouldered Antwren (Euchrepomis humeralis), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.chsant1.01
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