| Pale-faced bare-eye | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Thamnophilidae |
| Genus: | Phlegopsis |
| Species: | P. borbae |
| Binomial name | |
| Phlegopsis borbae Hellmayr, 1907 | |
 | |
| Synonyms | |
Skutchia borbae | |
The pale-faced bare-eye (Phlegopsis borbae), sometimes known as the pale-faced antbird, is a species of bird in subfamily Thamnophilinae of family Thamnophilidae, the "typical antbirds". It is endemic to Brazil. [2]
The pale-faced bare-eye was originally described as Phlegopsis borbae. [3] It was later moved to the monotypic genus Skutchia because its plumage differed significantly from that of other Phlegopsis bare-eyes. Some authors at that time changed its English name to bare-eyed antbird. Following a molecular study it was found to be sister to the black-spotted bare-eye (Phlegopsis nigromaculata) so Skutchia was merged into Phlegopsis and the species' English name was restored to "bare-eye". [4] [5] [6] [7]
The pale-faced bare-eye has no subspecies. [2]
The pale-faced bare-eye is 16.5 to 17.5 cm (6.5 to 6.9 in) long and weighs about 50 g (1.8 oz). The sexes are alike. Adults have long white feathers on their forehead and lores, stiff black feathers above their eye, and a patch of bare whitish skin behind it. Their crown is dark rufous. Their upperparts are dark olive-brown with a scattering of black bars on the back. Their wings are chestnut and their tail blackish brown with a browner base. Their throat and breast are cinnamon-rufous with a band of black and white bars below them. The rest of their underparts are dull brown. [5] [8]
The pale-faced bare-eye is found in central Amazonian Brazil south of the Amazon from the Rio Madeira east to the Rio Tapajós and Rio Aripuanã and south to the Rio Roosevelt. It primarily inhabits the understorey of humid terra firme evergreen forest. In some areas it favors upland forest with many palms in the understorey. It occurs below an elevation of 150 m (500 ft). [5] [8]
The pale-faced bare-eye is believed to be a year-round resident throughout its range. [5]
The pale-faced bare-eye is an obligate ant follower that feeds on a variety of arthropods that flee foraging army ant swarms, primarily those of Eciton burchelli . It typically forages individually, in pairs, and in family groups, perching within about 1 m (3 ft) of the ground (though sometimes as high as 3 m (10 ft)) and sallying or pouncing to the ground after prey. It occasionally makes short aerial sallies and also flips leaves on the ground to find prey. It is dominant over many other ant followers, even some that are larger than it. [5] [8]
Almost nothing is known about the pale-faced bare-eye's breeding biology. Its nesting season appears to end by April. It has been observed courtship feeding. [5]
The pale-faced bare-eye's song is "2-3 very high, long, slightly descending notes, the last one esp. rather mournful". [8] Its calls include a "loud 'psit', a descending 'chirr' diminishing in intensity, and a series of deep short notes delivered rapidly and usually descending in pitch". [5]
The IUCN has assessed the pale-faced bare-eye as being of Least Concern. Its population size is not known and is believed to be decreasing. No immediate threats have been identified. [1] It is not well known and "appears to be uncommon to rare within its small total range". It occurs in Tapajós National Park, which is "highly threatened by gold-miners, squatters and, probably most seriously, hydro-electric development of the Tapajós Basin". [5]
The blackish antbird is a species of passerine bird in subfamily Thamnophilinae of family Thamnophilidae, the "typical antbirds". It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, and Suriname.
The ochre-rumped antbird is a species of bird in subfamily Thamnophilinae of family Thamnophilidae, the "typical antbirds". It is endemic to Brazil.
The white-throated antbird is a species of bird in subfamily Thamnophilinae of family Thamnophilidae, the "typical antbirds". It is found in Bolivia, Brazil and Peru.
The spot-backed antbird is a species of bird in subfamily Thamnophilinae of family Thamnophilidae, the "typical antbirds". It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela.
The common scale-backed antbird is a species of passerine bird in subfamily Thamnophilinae of family Thamnophilidae, the "typical antbirds". It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela.
The dot-backed antbird is a species of bird in subfamily Thamnophilinae of family Thamnophilidae, the "typical antbirds". It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.
The wing-banded antbird is a species of passerine bird in subfamily Myrmornithinae of family Thamnophilidae, the "typical antbirds". It is found in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela.
Phlegopsis is a genus of insectivorous passerine birds in the antbird family, Thamnophilidae. They are known as "bare-eyes", which is a reference to a colourful bare patch of skin around their eyes. They are restricted to humid forest in the Amazon of South America. They are among the largest ant-followers in the family and are only rarely seen away from ant swarms.
The reddish-winged bare-eye is a species of insectivorous passerine bird in subfamily Thamnophilinae of family Thamnophilidae, the "typical antbirds". It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.
The black-spotted bare-eye is a species of insectivore passerine bird in subfamily Thamnophilinae of family Thamnophilidae, the "typical antbirds". It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.
The harlequin antbird is a species of bird in subfamily Thamnophilinae of family Thamnophilidae, the "typical antbirds". It is endemic to Brazil.
The chestnut-crested antbird is a species of bird in subfamily Thamnophilinae of family Thamnophilidae, the "typical antbirds". It is found in Brazil and Colombia.
The bare-eyed antbird, occasionally known as the Santarem antbird, is a Vulnerable species of insectivorous passerine bird in subfamily Thamnophilinae of family Thamnophilidae, the "typical antbirds". It is endemic to Brazil.
The white-breasted antbird is a species of bird in subfamily Thamnophilinae of family Thamnophilidae, the "typical antbirds". It is endemic to Brazil.
The hairy-crested antbird is a species of bird in subfamily Thamnophilinae of family Thamnophilidae, the "typical antbirds". It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.
The Caura antbird is a species of bird in subfamily Thamnophilinae of family Thamnophilidae, the "typical antbirds". It is found in Brazil and Venezuela.
The Humaita antbird is a species of passerine bird in subfamily Thamnophilinae of family Thamnophilidae, the "typical antbirds". It is found in Brazil, Bolivia, and Peru.
The brownish-headed antbird is a species of passerine bird in subfamily Thamnophilinae of family Thamnophilidae, the "typical antbirds". It is found in Bolivia and Peru.
The Xingu scale-backed antbird is a species of bird in subfamily Thamnophilinae of family Thamnophilidae, the "typical antbirds". It is endemic to Brazil.
The fulvous antshrike is a species of bird in subfamily Thamnophilinae of family Thamnophilidae, the "typical antbirds". It is found in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.
