Fringe-backed Fire-eye

Overview

The fringe-backed fire-eye, Pyriglena atra, is a Near Threatened species of bird belonging to the family of typical antbirds. It is endemic to Brazil and was formerly known as Swainson's fire-eye.

Identification

• Males are mostly glossy black with a large patch of black and white feathers between the scapulars, while females are yellowish brown above without this interscapular patch.
• Both sexes possess bright red irises, which are orange in immature birds.
• The face is olive-tinged grey with black lores and a black line above and behind the eye, contrasting with a white chin and throat.
• The song consists of a hurried, descending series of about six 'peeh---' notes, while the call is a very high, piped 'peek'.

Habitat

This species has a very small range in eastern Brazil, restricted to southeastern Sergipe and coastal northeastern Bahia. It inhabits dense understorey vegetation in lowland evergreen forest, typically at the edges of primary forest, in mature secondary forest, or in clearings, ranging in elevation from near sea level to about 250 m. It avoids sunlit areas such as open woodland with little undergrowth.

Diet

The fringe-backed fire-eye feeds on insects, other arthropods like spiders and centipedes, and small vertebrates such as geckos and frogs. It forages singly, in pairs, or in family groups, often following army ant swarms or joining mixed-species feeding flocks to capture prey disturbed by the ants.

Did you know?

The first nest ever described for this species was a ball of dry leaves lined with palm fibres, situated on the ground and surrounded by more dry leaves. Both parents incubated the clutch during the day, but the female performed this task alone at night.