Chestnut-belted Gnateater

Overview

The chestnut-belted gnateater (Conopophaga aurita) is a small bird in the family Conopophagidae. It is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List and serves as the type species for the genus Conopophaga.

Identification

• A small, dark bird with a relatively stout bill and pinkish-grey legs.
• Brown upperparts and crown, the latter often tinged rufous, featuring a white supercilium.
• Males possess a black frontlet, face, and throat with a rufous chest and buff or white belly.
• Females have a rufous face, throat, and chest with a buff or white belly.

Habitat

This species inhabits tropical moist lowland forests. Its range spans the Amazon Basin, covering northern Brazil, southern Colombia, and eastern Peru and Ecuador, as well as the Guianan countries of Guyana, Suriname, and eastern French Guiana.

Did you know?

The genus name Conopophaga combines the Ancient Greek kōnōps meaning "gnat" with -phagos meaning "-eating", while the specific name aurita derives from the Latin auritus meaning "-eared" or "long eared".