Black-faced antthrush

Last updated

Black-faced antthrush
Black-faced Antthrush - Rio Tigre - Costa Rica (26631229751).jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Clade: Dinosauria
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Formicariidae
Genus: Formicarius
Species:
F. analis
Binomial name
Formicarius analis
Formicarius analis dist.png

The black-faced antthrush (Formicarius analis), is a species of passerine bird in the family Formicariidae.

Contents

Taxonomy

The black-faced antthrush was formally described in 1837 by the French naturalists Alcide d'Orbigny and Frédéric de Lafresnaye from a specimen collected in Bolivia. They coined the binomial name Myothera analis. [2] [3] The specific epithet is from the Modern Latin analis meaning "relating to the undertail-coverts of the vent". [4] The black-faced antthrush is now placed in the genus Formicarius that was introduced by the Dutch naturalist Pieter Boddaert in 1783. [5] [6]

Eleven subspecies are recognised: [6]

The subspecies hoffmanni is sometimes recognised as a distinct species, the Panama antthrush, based primarily of its different song. [7] [8] The Mayan antthrush (Formicarius moniliger) was formerly considered conspecific with the black-faced antthrush. [6] [9]

Description

The black-faced antthrush is similar in general appearance to a rail, with a dumpy body, horizontal carriage, stout bill and short cocked tail. It walks rather than hops, with a jerky motion again reminiscent of a rail. It is typically 18–19  cm (7.1–7.5  in ) long, and weighs 59  g (2.1  oz ). The upper parts are rufous brown, and the underparts are paler brown, except for the black face and throat, and rufous under the tail and behind the eye. The sexes are alike in plumage.

Distribution and habitat

Chan Chich Lodge area, Belize - flash photo Black-faced Antthrush.tif
Chan Chich Lodge area, Belize – flash photo

It is a common and widespread forest bird in the tropical New World, from Honduras through Central America to the northern regions of South America. It occurs in Colombia, Venezuela, Trinidad and Brazil, and the Amazon Basin with the exception of the northwest region.

Behaviour

The antthrush builds a leaf-lined nest in a cavity in a hollow branch or stump in which two white eggs are laid. It is an insectivore which feeds on ants and other insects. It is quite terrestrial, feeding mainly on the ground. It will follow columns of army ants. The call is a loud whistle followed by a series of 210 descending whistles, WHU! wu-wu-wu-wu-wu-wu-wu-wu-wu.

Song of bird from Arima Valley, Trinidad

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rufous-browed peppershrike</span> Species of bird

The rufous-browed peppershrike is a passerine bird in the vireo family. It is widespread and often common in woodland, forest edge, and cultivation with some tall trees from Mexico and Trinidad south to Argentina and Uruguay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bay-headed tanager</span> Species of bird

The bay-headed tanager is a medium-sized passerine bird. This tanager is a resident breeder in Costa Rica, Panama, South America south to Ecuador, Bolivia and north-western Brazil, and on Trinidad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red-crowned ant tanager</span> Species of bird

The red-crowned ant tanager is a medium-sized passerine bird from tropical America. The genus Habia was long placed with the tanagers (Thraupidae), but it is actually closer to the cardinals (Cardinalidae). Consequently, it can be argued that referring to the members of this genus as ant-tanagers is misleading, but no other common name has gained usage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Plain antvireo</span> Species of bird

The plain antvireo is a passerine bird species in the antbird family (Thamnophilidae). It is a resident breeder in tropical Central and South America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bright-rumped attila</span> Species of bird

The bright-rumped attila or polymorphic attila is a small passerine bird in the tyrant flycatcher family (Tyrannidae). It breeds from northwestern Mexico to western Ecuador, Bolivia and southeastern Brazil, and on Trinidad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Common tody-flycatcher</span> Species of bird

The common tody-flycatcher or black-fronted tody-flycatcher is a very small passerine bird in the tyrant flycatcher family. It breeds from southern Mexico to northwestern Peru, eastern Bolivia and southern, eastern and northeast Brazil.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black-striped sparrow</span> Species of bird

The black-striped sparrow is a passerine bird found from eastern Honduras to western Ecuador, northern Brazil, and Venezuela.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hooded mountain tanager</span> Species of bird

The hooded mountain tanager is a species of bird in the tanager family Thraupidae. It is the only member of the genus Buthraupis. This yellow, blue and black tanager is found in forest, woodland and shrub in the Andean highlands of Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela. At 23 centimetres (9.1 in) and 85 grams (3.0 oz), it is one of the largest tanagers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Schwartz's antthrush</span> Species of bird

Schwartz's antthrush, also known as the scalloped antthrush, is a species of bird in the family Formicariidae. It is found in humid highland forest in the Andes of Colombia and the Coastal Range in Venezuela. The Colombian population belongs to the nominate subspecies, while the Venezuelan belongs to chionogaster. Long included as a subspecies of the rufous-tailed antthrush, it was only recognized as a separate species in 1992. It takes its name from ornithologist Paul A. Schwartz, who was the first to realize how strikingly different its song sounds compared to that of the rufous-tailed antthrush. The song of Schwartz's antthrush is closer to that of the cryptic antthrush.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grey-headed tanager</span> Species of bird

The grey-headed tanager is a widely distributed species of small Neotropical bird in the tanager family Thraupidae. It is the only member of the genus Eucometis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orange-bellied euphonia</span> Species of bird

The orange-bellied euphonia is a species of bird in the finch family, Fringillidae. They were formerly considered tanagers (Thraupidae). It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rufous-capped antthrush</span> Species of bird

The rufous-capped antthrush is a small species of bird in the family Formicariidae located in the order Passeriformes. It is considered to be uncommon but widespread, found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela. The rufous-capped antthrush is typically found inhabiting the shady floor of tall, humid forests on solid ground, and is occasionally spotted in transitional forests (várzea) and savanna forests (Suriname).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rufous-breasted antthrush</span> Species of bird

The rufous-breasted antthrush is a species of bird in the family Formicariidae. It is found in Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Variegated antpitta</span> Species of bird

The variegated antpitta is a species of bird in the family Grallariidae. It is found in southeastern Brazil, eastern Paraguay, the Guianas and the northern Amazon Basin. Its range extends to Venezuela in the northwest; in the Amazon Basin, it is found in the downstream half of the basin, as well as in the Atlantic outlet region of the neighboring Tocantins-Araguaia River drainage to the southeast. A minor disjunct population is in Peru, and an Argentinian population is found in the tongue of land between Paraguay and southern Brazil.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tawny-crowned greenlet</span> Species of bird

The tawny-crowned greenlet is a species of bird in the family Vireonidae and is the only species placed in the genus Tunchiornis. It is found in Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black-spotted bare-eye</span> Species of passerine bird

The black-spotted bare-eye is a species of insectivore passerine bird in the antbird family Thamnophilidae. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue-capped tanager</span> Species of bird

The blue-capped tanager is a species of bird in the tanager family Thraupidae. It was formerly placed in the genus Thraupis but is now the only species in the genus Sporathraupis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black-crowned tityra</span> Species of bird

The black-crowned tityra is a medium-sized passerine bird. It has traditionally been placed in the cotinga or the tyrant flycatcher family, but evidence strongly suggest it is better placed in Tityridae.

<i>Formicarius</i> (bird) Genus of birds

Formicarius is a genus of passerine birds in the family Formicariidae. These birds are all found in the tropical New World, from southern Mexico south to Central America and northern South America. All are named as antthrushes, and are insectivorous forest birds. They are largely terrestrial, feeding mainly on the ground on ants and other insects.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mayan antthrush</span> Species of bird

The Mayan antthrush is a species of bird in the family Formicariidae. It is found in southern Mexico through northwestern Honduras.

References

  1. BirdLife International (2020). "Formicarius analis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2020: e.T103661243A140073609. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T103661243A140073609.en . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. d'Orbigny, Alcide; Lafresnaye, Frédéric de (1837). "Synopsis avium". Magasin de Zoologie (in Latin). 7 (2): 1–88 [14].
  3. Peters, James Lee, ed. (1951). Check-List of Birds of the World. Vol. 7. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Museum of Comparative Zoology. p. 242.
  4. Jobling, James A. (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. p. 46. ISBN   978-1-4081-2501-4.
  5. Boddaert, Pieter (1783). Table des planches enluminéez d'histoire naturelle de M. D'Aubenton : avec les denominations de M.M. de Buffon, Brisson, Edwards, Linnaeus et Latham, precedé d'une notice des principaux ouvrages zoologiques enluminés (in French). Utrecht. pp. 43, 44, 50.
  6. 1 2 3 Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (July 2020). "Antthrushes, antpittas, gnateaters, tapaculos, crescentchests". IOC World Bird List Version 10.2. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  7. Howell, Steve N.G. "The specific status of black-faced antthrushes in Middle America" (PDF). Cotinga. 1: 21–25.
  8. Ridgely, Robert S.; Tudor, Guy (2009). Birds of South America: Passerines. Helm Field Guides. London: Christopher Helm. p. 688. ISBN   978-1-408-11342-4.
  9. Chesser, R.T.; Billerman, S.M.; Burns, K.J.; Cicero, C.; Dunn, J.L.; Kratter, A.W.; Lovette, I.J.; Mason, N.A.; Rasmussen, P.C.; Remsen, J.V.J.; Stotz, D.F.; Winker, K. (2020). "Sixty-first Supplement to the American Ornithological Society's Check-list of North American Birds". The Auk. 137 (ukaa030). doi: 10.1093/auk/ukaa030 .

Further reading