Crescent-faced Antpitta

Overview

The crescent-faced antpitta (Grallaricula lineifrons) is a small, monotypic bird in the family Grallariidae found in Colombia and Ecuador. It is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, with a population believed to be stable despite habitat threats.

Identification

• 11 to 12 cm long, weighing 17 to 22 g, with a distinct white crescent running from the crown through the lores to the throat.
• Crown and nape are dark sooty gray with a black face, while upperparts are brownish olive and wings/tail are browner.
• Underparts are mostly white with an ochraceous buff wash and black stripes; legs and feet are vinaceous gray to blue-gray.
• Song consists of an ascending series of piping notes ending in shrill sounds, e.g., 'pu-pu-pu-pe-pe-pee-pee-pi-pi-pi'.

Habitat

Inhabits the undergrowth of humid forests, including cloudforest and elfin forest near but not past treeline, in Colombia's Central Andes and Ecuador's eastern Andean slope. Typically found at elevations between 2,900 m and 3,700 m, often in treefall gaps, stream edges, or bamboo thickets.

Diet

Feeds on earthworms, insects, spiders, and other arthropods, foraging singly or in pairs by hopping through dense foliage. It gleans prey from foliage using short reaches and sallies, and captures prey from leaf litter on the ground.

Did you know?

The species is rarely heard or seen in the wild unless prompted with a recording, and is known to regularly visit feeding stations set up for observation.