White-bellied antpitta

Grallaria hypoleuca

Photo by Scott Olmstead (Flickr)

Common name:
white-bellied antpitta (en); tuvacuçu-de-barriga-branca (pt); grallaire à ventre blanc (fr); tororoí ventriblanco (es); blassbauch-ameisenpitta (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Formicariidae

Range:
The white-bellied antpitta is found along the western slopes of the Andes, from northern Colombia to extreme northern Peru.

Size:
These birds are 16-18 cm long and weigh 62-69 g.

Habitat:
This species is mostly found on the floor and in the lower understorey of mountain rainforests, also using second growths to a lesser extent. they occur at altitudes of 1.400-2.300 m.

Diet:
They are known to eat insects, but there is little available information about their diet.

Breeding:
White-bellied antpittas breed in March-September and are presumed to be socially monogamous. The nest is a cup made of twigs and rootlets and placed in a fork in a tree about 1 m above the ground. The female lays 2 light greenish eggs with light brownish blotches. The eggs are incubated by both parents, but there is no information regarding the length of the incubation and fledging period.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a relatively large breeding range and is described as fairly common. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Moustached antpitta

Grallaria alleni

Photo by Steve Blain (Steve Blain presents "Bird Porn")

Common name:
moustached antpitta (en); tuvacuçu-de-bigodes (pt); grallaire à moustaches (fr); tororoí bigotudo (es); grauscheitel-ameisenpitta (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Formicariidae

Range:
This species is only found in the western slope of the Central Andes in Colombia, and both Andean slopes in northern Ecuador.

Size:
These birds are 16-17 cm long and weigh 60-80 g.

Habitat:
The moustached antpitta is found in dense understorey of moist, mossy cloud forests, particularly in ravines and steep slopes. They are present at altitudes of 1.800-2.500 m.

Diet:
They forage on the ground, taking earthworms and insects, namely katydids.

Breeding:
Moustached antpittas nest in a cup made of dead leaves, sticks and moss, placed on a small branch or trunk of a tree, about 1,5 m above the ground. The female lays 2 unmarked eggs. There is no available information about the incubation period, but the chicks fledge 15-17 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - VU (Vulnerable)
This species has a relatively small and fragmented breeding range, and the global population is estimated at 1.500-7.000 individuals. The population is suspected to be declining a a slow rate due to habitat loss. Since the 17th century, most of the cloud forest in the central Andes of Colombia has been logged, settled and converted to agriculture, while the west Andean slopes in Ecuador have also been strongly altered and fragmented. The few remaining areas suffer from human encroachment and clearance for agriculture and opium production. In the east Andes some well protected forests remain with roughly 60% of the range of the moustached antpitta in that region being included in five protected areas.

Tawny antpitta

Grallaria quitensis

Photo by Dusan Brinkhuizen (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:
tawny antpitta (en); tuvacuçu-fulvo (pt); grallaire de Quito (fr); tororoí leonado (es); ockerwangen-ameisenpitta (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Formicariidae

Range:
This species is found along the Andes mountain range, from central Colombia to northern Peru.

Size:
These birds are 16-18 cm long and weigh 62-78 g.

Habitat:
The tawny antpitta is mostly found in high altitude grasslands and scrublands, and mountain rainforests, also using pastures, lakes and marshes. They are present at altitudes of 2.200-4.500 m.

Diet:
They forage on the ground, taking various arthropods.

Breeding:
Tawny antpittas nest on the ground, on a small cup where the female lays 2 eggs. The eggs are incubated for 21-22 days. There is no information regarding the fledgling period.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a large breeding range and is described as common. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Short-tailed antthrush

Chamaeza campanisona

Photo by Paulo Fenalti (Flickr)

Common name:
short-tailed antthrush (en); tovaca-campainha (pt); tétéma flambé (fr); tovacá colicorto (es); streifenbrust-ameisendrossel (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Formicariidae

Range:
This species is found in two disjunct areas, one from central and northern Venezuela and along the eastern slopes of the Andes down to Bolivia, and another in south-eastern and southern Brazil, Paraguay and marginally into northern Argentina.

Size:
These birds are 20 cm long and weigh about 70 g.

Habitat:
The short-tailed antthrush is mostly found in tropical rainforests, especially in mountainous areas, but also in some dry tropical forests. They are present at altitudes of 50-1.800 m.

Diet:
They hunt insects and other invertebrates on the ground, occasionally also following army ant swarms to hunt the invertebrates flushed by the ants.

Breeding:
Short-tailed antthrushes nest in a deep tree cavity, lined with green leaves, up to 2 m above the ground. The female lays 3 white eggs and there is no information regarding the length of the incubation period. The chicks fledge 16-19 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is described as fairly common. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Scaled antpitta

Grallaria guatimalensis

Photo by Chris West (Flickr)

Common name:
scaled antpitta (en); tovacuçu-corujinha (pt); grallaire écaillée (fr); tororoí cholino (es); kleine bartameisenpitta (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Formicariidae

Range:
This species is found from southern Mexico to Colombia and Venezuela, and through Ecuador into Peru and Bolivia.

Size:
These birds are 18 cm long and weigh 94-98 g.

Habitat:
The scales antpitta is mostly found in moist tropical forests, especially in mountainous areas but also in the lowlands. They are also found in plantations. This species is found at altitudes of 200-3.000 m.

Diet:
They forage among the forest leaf litter, taking worms, large insects and other invertebrates, and also small frogs.

Breeding:
Scale antpittas breed in May-July. The nest is a large, bulky cup, made of dry leaves, twigs and moss, and lined with fine rootlets and moss. The nest is placed on the branches of a tree, near the trunk, up to 1,5 m above the ground. There the female lays 2 turquoise-blue eggs. There is no information regarding the length of the incubation period, but the chicks fledge 17-19 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and the global population is estimated at 50.000-500.000 individuals. The population is expected to decline moderately due to habitat loss and fragmentation, based on current models of Amazonian deforestation, but it is not considered threatened at present.

Rusty-breasted antpitta

Grallaricula ferrugineipectus

(Photo from Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:
rusty-breasted antpitta (en); tovaca-de-peito-castanho (pt); grallaire à poitrine rousse (fr); ponchito pechicastaño (es); rostbrust-ameisenpitta (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Formicariidae

Range:
This species is discontinuously along the Andes, from western Venezuela to central Colombia and from northern Peru to northern Bolivia.

Size:
These birds weigh around 17 g.

Habitat:
The rusty-breasted antpitta is found in moist, mountain tropical forests, at altitudes of 600-3.350 m.

Diet:
They feed on various terrestrial invertebrates.

Breeding:
The nest of the rusty-breasted antpitta nests in a small cup made of twigs and leaf rachises, placed on a small branch. There the female lays 2 light green eggs with dark markings, which are incubated for 16-17 day, possibly by both sexes. The chicks fledge 14-16 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a relatively large breeding range and is described as fairly common. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Ochre-breasted antpitta

Grallaricula flavirostris

Photo by Scott Olmstead (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:
ochre-breasted antpitta (en); tovaca-ocre (pt); grallaire ocrée (fr); tororoi piquigualdo (es); ockerbrust-ameisenpitta (de)


Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Formicariidae


Range:
This species is found along the Pacific slopes of Central and South America, from Nicaragua down to Bolivia.


Size:
These birds are 10 cm long and weigh 16 g.


Habitat:
Ochre-breasted antpittas are found in tropical and sub-tropical moist forests, at altitudes of 500-2.750 m.


Diet:
They forage on the ground or in low vegetation, mostly hunting insects.


Breeding:
The ochre-breasted antpitta breeds in April-July. The cup-shaped nest is made of fresh green moss and lined with thin sticks, black rhizomorphs and more moss. It is placed in a fork in a small tree or sapling, 2-4 m above the ground. There the female lays 1-2 pale reddish-brown eggs with dark spots, which are incubated for 17-21 days. The chicks fledge 14-16 days after hatching.


Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a relatively large breeding range and is described as fairly common. This population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Variegated antpitta

Grallaria varia

Photo by Dario Sanches (Wikipedia)

Common name:

variegated antpitta (en); tovacuçu-malhado (pt); grallaire roi (fr); tororoí pintado (es); große bartameisenpitta (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Passeriformes

Family Formicariidae

Range:

This South American species is found in Argentina, Brazil, the Guyanas, Paraguay, Suriname, eastern Venezuela and Peru.

Size:

These birds are 21 cm long and weigh 110-120 g.

Habitat:

Variegated antpittas are found in tropical and sub-tropical moist forests, from sea level up to an altitude of 1.550 m.

Diet:

They search for food among the leaf litter of the forest ground, eating spiders, scorpions, centipedes and various insects. They often follow army ants, hunting animals that are flushed by the swarm. They also eat seeds and berries, namely those from Phytolacea decandra.

Breeding:

Variegated antpittas nest on or near the ground, in a cup-shaped nest made of dry leaves and twigs. The nest may be placed in a tree stump or in low vegetation. There the female lays 2 greenish-blue eggs which are incubated by both sexes for 17 days. The chicks are cared for by both parents and fledge 15-19 days after hatching.

Conservation:

IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)

This species has a very large breeding range and is described as uncommon. This species is thought to be experiencing habitat loss and is suspected to be in decline.

Black-headed antthrush

Formicarius nigricapillus

Photo by José Ardaiz (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:

black-headed antthrush (en); pinto-do-mato-cabeça-preta (pt); tétéma à tête noire (fr); formicario cabecinegro (es); schwarzkopf-ameisendrossel (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Passeriformes

Family Formicariidae

Range:

The black-headed antthrush is found from the Caribbean slope of Costa Rica, through both slopes of Panama and into the Pacific coast of Colombia and Ecuador.

Size:

They are 20-22 cm long and weigh 70 g.

Habitat:

These birds are found in tropical and sub-tropical moist forests, both in lowland areas and in mountainous areas up to an altitude of 900 m.

Diet:

Black-headed antthrushes are insectivorous, mostly eating ants and other insects like crickets, grasshoppers and beetles.

Breeding:

These birds seem to be monogamous and mate for life. They nest in trees and the female lays 2 eggs which are incubated for 20 days. The chicks leave the nest soon after hatching and follow their parents about, seeking food and shelter, fledging about 18 days after hatching.

Conservation:

IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)

The black-headed antthrush has a very large breeding range, but is described as uncommon. This population is suspected to be in decline owing to ongoing habitat destruction, but it is not considered threatened at present.

Black-faced antthrush

Formicarius analis

Common name:

black-faced antthrush (en); tauoca (pt); tétéma coq-de-bois (fr); formicario enmascarado (es); graubrust-ameisendrossel (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Passeriformes

Family Formicariidae

Range:

This species is found in the neotropics from southern Mexico, through Central America to the northern regions of South America in Colombia, Venezuela, Trinidad and Brazil, and nearly in all of the Amazon Basin with the exception of the north-westernmost regions.

Size:

The black-faced antthrush is 17-19 cm long and weighs 59 g.

Habitat:

They are found in moist tropical and subtropical forests, at low and middle altitudes. More often in the forest interior than in the edges, always near the ground.

Diet:

The black-faced antthrush is mostly an insectivore, taking insects, spiders and other invertebrates from the foliage on the forest floor. They will often follow columns of army ants in order to take their prey and may occasionally capture small snakes, toads, and lizards.

Breeding:

These birds breed in February-May. They build a leaf-lined nest on a cavity in a hollow branch or stump. The nest is a mat of flowery material placed on a bottom of dead leaves with the entrance less than 4 m above the ground. The female lays 2 white eggs which are incubated by both parents for 19-20 days. The chicks fledge 18-19 days after hatching. Each pair may raise up to 3 broods in a season.

Conservation:

IUCN status - LC (Least concern)

The black-faced antthrush has a very large breeding range a global population estimated at 5-50 million individuals. This population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats, so the species is not threatened at present.