Photo: Jon Irvine / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Ancient Antwren
Herpsilochmus gentryi
Ancient Antwren (Herpsilochmus gentryi) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South America.
Found across 4 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Ancient Antwren (Herpsilochmus gentryi) is a member of the Thamnophilidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 10.6 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Thamnophilidae Antbirds
- Genus Herpsilochmus
- Species gentryi
Quick facts
- Weight
- 10.6 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Thamnophilidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Ancient Antwren is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Ancient Antwren is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Ancient Antwren (Herpsilochmus gentryi) is a species of bird in the Thamnophilidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans South America. Its distribution covers SA e Ecuador and n Peru.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 10.6 g, with a wing length of about 4.8 cm and a tail of around 3.6 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 9,534 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Ancient Antwren?
The Ancient Antwren is a very small bird that weighs around 10.6 g.
Where does the Ancient Antwren live?
The Ancient Antwren is found across South America with a range covering SA e Ecuador and n Peru, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Ancient Antwren belong to?
The Ancient Antwren (Herpsilochmus gentryi) belongs to the Thamnophilidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Ancient Antwren eat?
The Ancient Antwren is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Ancient Antwren migrate?
The Ancient Antwren is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Ancient Antwren endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
How large is the Ancient Antwren's range?
The Ancient Antwren has a mapped global range of about 9,534 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
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How to choose a bird feeder for garden songbirds — the feeder styles compared, the seed they prefer, where to hang it, and how to keep birds safe. A decision framework grounded in real data, with no mystery picks.
Meet the Thamnophilidae
A field guide to the Thamnophilidae family — 240 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.