The Thamnophilidae encompass 61-62 genera and 241 species of antshrikes, antvireos, antwrens, fire-eyes, and bushbirds. These are found in the Neotropics from southern Mexico to northern Argentina, with the highest diversity in the Amazon basin and the Atlantic Forest of eastern Brazil. The majority of species inhabit humid tropical forests in lowlands and foothills; several associate with bamboo forests; up to 2,500 m. Small to medium-sized suboscines (length 7-35 cm, weight 7-155 g) with large, often hooked or notched, bills, and short rounded wings. Sexual dichromatism is common; the males are predominantly grey or black, whereas the females are rufous, ochrous, or brown. Nests are cups of twigs and dead leaves, built in a branch fork or suspended in thick vegetation or vines. Most species lay 2 eggs; incubation 14-20 days. The young are altricial, and fledge after 8-15 days. Antbirds feed on insects and other arthropods, although antshrikes also take treefrogs and small lizards. Often join mixed-species flocks. Several species follow swarms of army ants catching the invertebrates fleeing the ants. Although some antbirds are widely distributed, others have very small natural ranges, and at least 36 species are threatened by loss and fragmentation of lowland rainforest.

		Silvery-flanked Antwren (Myrmotherula luctuosa)
		Unicolored Antwren (Myrmotherula unicolor)
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