Brown-banded Antpitta

Overview

The brown-banded antpitta (Grallaria milleri) is a vulnerable species of bird in the family Grallariidae, endemic to Colombia. It is a year-round resident found in two subspecies, with the nominate subspecies occupying the Central Andes.

Identification

• Length of 13 to 18 cm with a weight of 50 to 55 g, featuring identical plumage in both sexes.
• Deep rich raw umber on the crown, nape, and back, contrasting with a wide tawny olive breast band and a creamy white central belly.
• Whitish lores with black speckles and ochraceous brown ear coverts, accompanied by a black bill with a paler tip.
• Vocalisations include a single upslurred 'uuueee', a three-note 'tu, tu-tu', and a series of loud shrill 'KEEEE' calls.

Habitat

The species inhabits the temperate zone in areas regrowing with Chusquea bamboo or alder trees following natural disturbances such as landslides. It is found in the Central Andes of Colombia, between 2,700 and 3,200 m in elevation, though records as low as 1,800 m exist.

Diet

This antpitta forages on or near the ground by running and hopping to pick prey from vegetation or the soil. Its diet likely consists of a variety of insects and invertebrates, including earthworms and beetle larvae, as evidenced by their attraction to feeding stations offering these items.

Did you know?

Subspecies G. m. gilesi was described in 2009 from a single specimen collected in the 1800s, and it remains known only from that one historical record.