#gnatwren

October 9, 2024 - Collared Gnatwren (Microbates collaris) These gnatwrens are usually found near water in the undergrowth of humid forests in northern South America. They feed on insects and spiders, picking them from foliage and often foraging in mixed-species flocks. Only one of their nests has been described, a bulky cup constructed from decaying leaves and other materials. Females lay clutches of two eggs.

Found from parts of southern Nicaragua to northern Bolivia, these birds in the gnatcatcher family live in lowland forests. Foraging in the understory, they eat insects and spiders, often joining mixed-species flocks and sometimes following ant swarms. Little is known about their breeding behavior, as very few of their nests have been found, but they may construct them from green moss, plant fibers, and other materials in shrubs. Both parents care for the chicks.