Brownish Twistwing (Cnipodectes subbrunneus) [XC249076]
by Niels Krabbe from Orellana: 'Maxus' road km 37 (27 km SSE Pompeya), Ecuador (alarm call, bill snapping)
Brownish Twistwing (Cnipodectes subbrunneus) [XC250678]
by John V. Moore from Napo: 'Gareno (Guaponi) Lodge', Ecuador (call)
Subspecies
Affinities uncertain. Toe structure suggests relationship to family Pipridae. A new species (Rufous Twistwing (Cnipodectes superrufus)) recently discovered in south-eastern Peru appears to belong to this hitherto monospecific genus. Subspecies poorly differentiated. Birds from eastern Panama and north-western Colombia sometimes separated as subspecies panamensis, but no visible differences in plumage from nominate.
The following 2 subspecies are recognised:
subbrunneus (Sclater, 1860) - Eastern Panama, western Colombia and western Ecuador.
minor Sclater, PL, 1884 - Western Amazon from Colombia and eastern Ecuador south to Peru, western Brazil and north-western Bolivia.