Ochre-fronted Antpitta

Overview

The ochre-fronted antpitta (Grallaricula ochraceifrons) is a Vulnerable species of bird in the family Grallariidae. It is endemic to Peru, where it is found on the east slope of the Peruvian Andes.

Identification

• Approximately 11.5 to 12 cm long, weighing between 22.5 and 23.8 g.
• Males feature ochraceous buff lores and eyering, a white or buffy white 'moustache' bordered by a black line, and a forecrown of ochraceous buff contrasting with an olive brown rear crown.
• Upperparts, wings, and tail are olive brown in males and darker brown in females; the throat is white and underparts are mostly white with buff sides and black breast streaks.
• Both sexes possess a dark brown iris, a black maxilla, a black mandible with a light pink base, and pale grayish pink legs and feet.
• Song consists of a single whistled, rising-falling note ('wheeu?') given every 6–15 seconds, with females singing more loudly than males.

Habitat

This species inhabits the understory of humid montane forest heavy with epiphytes, occurring in both stunted and tall forest between 1,850 and 2,400 m in elevation. It is currently known from only two sites: the Cordillera de Colán in Amazonas and Abra Patricia in San Martín. Its range appears to have contracted from historical boundaries.

Diet

The specific diet and foraging behaviour of the ochre-fronted antpitta are not known, though it is assumed to feed on arthropods.

Did you know?

The range of the ochre-fronted antpitta almost exactly matches that of the long-whiskered owlet (Xenoglaux loweryi), whose type specimen was collected at the same site as that of the antpitta, though it remains unclear whether this correlation is coincidental or meaningful.