Ferruginous-backed Antbird

Overview

The ferruginous-backed antbird (Myrmoderus ferrugineus) is a species of passerine bird in the family Thamnophilidae, commonly known as the typical antbirds. It is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN and is considered fairly common throughout its extensive range in South America.

Identification

• Males feature a bright chestnut crown and upperparts, contrasting with a black face, throat, and breast separated by a distinct white line.
• Males possess bare blue skin around the eye and wing coverts that are black with wide pale cinnamon-buff tips.
• Females are similar to males but have a white chin and throat, a light gray belly, and a paler crissum.
• The bird measures 14 to 15 cm in length and weighs between 24 and 29 g.
• The male's song is described as a short, very high, increasing, decelerating 'tjutju-tee-tee-teeh'.

Habitat

This species inhabits terra firme evergreen forest, nearby mature secondary forest, and savanna woodland on sandy soils. Its range spans from the Caroní River in eastern Venezuela east through the Guianas and into northeastern Amazonian Brazil, with a southern subspecies found in Brazil south of the Amazon.

Diet

The diet includes insects and spiders, and the bird forages almost entirely on the ground, rarely rising higher than 1.5 m. It primarily walks or hops along fallen logs and branches, gleaning prey from leaf litter, stems, and the undersides of live leaves. The bird also frequently follows army ant swarms, though usually only for short periods.

Did you know?

The species was formerly included in the genus Myrmeciza, but was moved to the resurrected genus Myrmoderus following a 2013 molecular phylogenetic study that determined the original genus was polyphyletic.