Bird Guide

Grey Antwren vs Pygmy Antwren

Grey Antwren (Myrmotherula menetriesii)

Grey Antwren

Myrmotherula menetriesii

Tiny9 gForest

The grey antwren is 8.5 to 10.5 cm (3.3 to 4.1 in) long and weighs 8 to 9 g (0.28 to 0.32 oz). It is a smallish bird with a short tail. Adult males of the nominate subspecies M. m. menetriesii are almost entirely bluish gray, with lighter underparts than upperparts. Their wing coverts have white tips and a black bar just above them. Their tail feathers have narrow white tips. The center of their throat and upper breast are black, sometimes with gray tips on the throat feathers. Adult females have olive-tinged gray upperparts with somewhat darker wings. Voice: The grey antwren's song in Brazil is described as an "ascending series of 6-8 eerie, two-syllabled 'wueeih' notes". In Ecuador it is "a wavering series of 10-12 'ree' or 'shree' notes that rise in pitch and accelerate a bit". The species' calls are "multi-noted include higher-pitched abrupt notes and lower, slightly longer ones in varying combinations"; all are delivered rapidly.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Grey Antwren
Recorded by Niels Krabbe · Song · Pastaza: Churunalpi, 5 km N Canelos, Ecuador · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Vincent A. Vos · CC BY 4.0
Pygmy Antwren (Myrmotherula brachyura)

Pygmy Antwren

Myrmotherula brachyura

Tiny6 gForest

The pygmy antwren is 7.5 to 8.5 cm (3.0 to 3.3 in) long and weighs 6 to 8 g (0.21 to 0.28 oz). It is a small bird with a tiny tail. Adult males have a black streak through the eye, white cheeks, and a thin black "moustache". Their crown, back, rump, and tail are black with thin white streaks that are faintly yellow except on the crown. They have a white patch between the shoulders. Their wings are black with white tips on the coverts and white edges on the flight feathers. Their throat is white and the rest of their underparts are yellow with sparse black streaks on the sides. Voice: The pygmy antwren's song has been described as a "short, rising, accecelerating series of very high, sharp notes, at start well separated and gradually changing to a descending rattle/trill". It has been written as "chree-chree-chree-chee-chee-ee-ee-ee-ee-rrr".

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Pygmy Antwren
Recorded by Niels Krabbe · Song · Zamora-Chinchipe: 1-2 km W Shaimi, Nangaritza Valley, Ecuador · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: avocat · CC BY 4.0

Where you might meet both

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Grey Antwren and Pygmy Antwren.