- Pithys albifrons
Identification
11.5 - 12.5cm. A distinctive antbird:
- Bright white feathered mask
- Black head, nominate with narrow white supercilium
- Red-brown plumage
- Grey wings
Females are similar to males, young birds lack the white tufts, they have browner upperparts and greyer underparts.
Distribution
Found in northern South America from northern Brazil, the Guianas, Suriname, southern and western Venezuela, Colombia and eastern Ecuador to northern and central Peru.
Common in most of its extensive range.
Taxonomy
Two subspecies recognized:
- P. a. peruvianus in extreme western Venezuela, Colombia, in nortwest Amazonian Brazil, eastern Ecuador and north and central Peru
- P. a. albifrons in southern Venezuela, the Guianas and in Brazil north of the river Amazon
Birds from nortwest Brazil are described as brevibarba but are usually merged with peruvianus.
Habitat
Understorey of moist lowland and foothill evergreen forest. Also in adjacent tall secondary growth. Occurs up to 1350m.
Behaviour
Feeds on insects and other arthropods, occasionally on small lizards.
An ant-follower, foraging in pairs or small groups in the vicinity of army-ant swarms, usually closely to the ground. Rarely seen away from ants and obviously completely dependent on them.
Breeding season from July to April in Venezuela, December to August in Guyana and December to May in French Guiana. May breed several times in a year. The cup-shaped nest is placed close to the ground. Lays 2 eggs.
A resident species.
References
- Clements, JF. 2011. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to August 2011. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/downloadable-clements-checklist
- Del Hoyo, J, A Elliot, and D Christie, eds. 2003. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 8: Broadbills to Tapaculos. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8487334504
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) White-plumed Antbird. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 4 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/White-plumed_Antbird
