Family Gnatcatchers (Polioptilidae)
Least Concern
Guianan Gnatcatcher (Polioptila guianensis)
Taxonomy
French: Gobemoucheron guyanais German: Cayennemückenfänger Spanish: Perlita guayanesa
Taxonomy:
Polioptila guianensis
Todd
, 1920,Tamanoir, Mana River, French Guiana
.
Subspecies and Distribution
P. g. facilis
J. T. Zimmer, 1942 – Rio Negro Gnatcatcher – E Colombia (Guainía#R, Vaupés#R), S Venezuela (S Amazonas) to N Brazil (N Amazonas, WC Roraima).
P. g. guianensis
Todd, 1920 – Guianan Gnatcatcher – E Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana; N Brazil (NE Amazonas, N Pará, Amapá) S to the Amazon.
P. g. clementsi
Whitney & Álvarez, 2005 – Iquitos Gnatcatcher – Iquitos region (NC Loreto), in Amazon Basin of NE Peru.
P. g. attenboroughi
Whittaker et al., 2013 – Inambari Gnatcatcher – Amazonian Brazil S of R Solimões and R Amazon, mainly between R Purus and R Madeira (EC & SC Amazonas and adjacent NW Rondônia)#R.
P. g. paraensis
Todd, 1937 – Para Gnatcatcher – Brazil S of R Amazon (C Amazonas S to W Mato Grosso, and E to E & NE Pará and Maranhão) and possibly N Bolivia.
Descriptive notes
10–11 cm; 5–7 g (nominate), 5–6 g (clementsi). Adult male nominate race is rather nondescript; has variably obvious white supraloral streak... read more
Voice
Loudsong of nominate race (recorded near Manaus, in Brazil) simple, consisting of repeated high (... read more
Habitat
Humid forest, clearings. Inhabits canopy and borders of humid, primary forest and open woodland;... read more
Food and feeding
Little known. Almost information on prey items, but presumably small arthropods. Stomach contents of one specimen (race clementsi... read more
Breeding
Little known. Fledgling observed in Guyana in late Nov (nominate race)). In Peru (race clementsi, specimens in mid Dec and early... read more
Movements
Resident.
Status and conservation
Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Considered rare and local throughout range. Apparent gap in distribution probably reflects inadequate sampling, but study needed. The... read more
All races were given species rank in HBW, but they differ in relatively minor characters relating to dorsal coloration, amount of white on the outer rectrices, and voice. Nevertheless, vocal and molecular data for this morphologically conservative grouping are still highly incomplete, thus the present position is preliminary and much dependent on the outcome of further studies. Five subspecies recognized.