Habitat
Understorey and middle storey forest edges in "terra firme" forest (with no flooding), transitional forest and "várzea" (seasonally flooded forest), as well as some tall secondary woodland. From sea-level - 1,300 m.
Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, Venezuela.
Rarity Status
Currently this species is not classified as a rarity in this country OR information has not been updated.
Population
Estimated population is unknown (2013) and increasing.
Status NT
Habitat destruction and degradation through accelerating deforestation as land is cleared for cattle ranching and soy production, facilitated by expansion of the road network, is the main threat.
For more information see BirdLife International Species Factsheet.
Although genus traditionally placed after Myrmoborus, it appears closely related to Drymophila. Regarded as sister-species of Yellow-browed Antwarbler (Hypocnemis hypoxantha). However, recent genetic study indicates considerable genetic distance between the two, suggesting that speciation occurred perhaps several million years ago. Present species as herein constituted almost certainly consists of more than one species, as subspecies peruviana and collinsi known to occur together in same habitat, and some types of vocalizations vary substantially among subspecies. Taxonomic study currently being undertaken. Birds from north of range (south-eastern Venezuela, Guyana, northern Brazil) described as subspecies notaea, but considered indistinguishable by plumage or vocalizations from nominate.
The following 10 subspecies are recognised:
cantator (Boddaert, 1783) - Extreme east-central Venezuela (north-eastern Bolívar), the Guianas and north-eastern Amazonian Brazil (lower R Negro east to Amapá).
flavescens P. L. Sclater, 1865 - Southern Venezuela (western and southern Bolívar, Amazonas), extreme north-western Amazonian Brazil (upper R Negro drainage and northern Roraima) and east-central Colombia (Guainía, Vaupés, northern Caquetá). Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Imeri Antwarbler (Hypocnemis flavescens).
saturata Carriker, 1930 - Southern Colombia (base of Andes in from Meta south to Putumayo, and southern Amazonas) south to north-eastern Peru (north of R Amazon and R Marañón) and west-central Amazonian Brazil (region immediately north of R Amazon and east to lower R Negro).
peruviana Taczanowski, 1884 - East-central Peru (south of R Amazon and R Marañón to eastern Cuzco and northern Madre de Dios, except Andean foothills), south-western Amazonian Brazil (east to R Madeira, south to Acre) and north-western Bolivia (Pando, northern La Paz, northern Beni). Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Peruvian Antwarbler (Hypocnemis peruviana).
subflava Cabanis, 1873 - Andean foothills in east-central Peru (Huánuco south to Cuzco). Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Yellow-breasted Antwarbler (Hypocnemis subflava).
collinsi Cherrie, 1916 - Southern Peru (south-eastern Ucayali, eastern Cuzco, Madre de Dios, Puno), extreme south-western Amazonian Brazil (Acre) and west-central Bolivia (Pando, La Paz, western Beni, Cochabamba).
ochrogyna J. T. Zimmer, 1932 - Eastern Bolivia (eastern Beni, Santa Cruz) and south-central Amazonian Brazil (Rondônia, western Mato Grosso). Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Rondonia Antwarbler (Hypocnemis ochrogyna).
implicata J. T. Zimmer, 1932 - South-central Amazonian Brazil (eastern from lower and middle R Madeira to R Tapajós/Teles Pires).
striata (Spix, 1825) - R Tapajós/Teles Pires east to R Xingu, south to north-central Mato Grosso. Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Spix's Antwarbler (Hypocnemis striata).
affinis J. T. Zimmer, 1932 - R Xingu east to R Tocantins, south to eastern Mato Grosso.
BirdLife International Species Factsheet