Moustached Antpitta

Overview

The moustached antpitta (Grallaria alleni) is a Vulnerable species of bird in the family Grallariidae. It is endemic to Colombia and Ecuador, where it inhabits the understory of humid montane forests.

Identification

• 16.5 to 17 cm long with a stout bill and very short tail.
• Light olive brown forecrown contrasting with a slate gray crown and nape.
• Distinctive wide white 'moustache' with thin black streaks on the face.
• Rufous chestnut tail and olive brown upperparts with a faint scaly appearance.

Habitat

Found in the northern and central Western Andes of Colombia and the Andes of Ecuador, as far south as Cotopaxi and Napo provinces. It favours the understory of humid montane forest, particularly dense undergrowth in ravines and steep slopes.

Diet

Highly terrestrial and seldom seen more than 3 m above the ground, it feeds on arthropods and earthworms. They are known to visit feeding stations where they consume invertebrates similar to those found in their natural diet.

Did you know?

The species' scientific name honours Arthur A. Allen, who collected the type specimen in 1911 and later founded the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Its nest is a bulky cup of dead leaves and mosses placed in an epiphyte, containing two light blue eggs.