White-plumed Antbird (Pithys albifrons)
[order] PASSERIFORMES | [family] Thamnophilidae | [latin] Pithys albifrons | [UK] White-plumed Antbird | [FR] Manikup de Cayenne | [DE] Weissbart-Ameisenvogel | [ES] Hormiguero Cuerniblanco | [NL] Witpluimmiervogel
Subspecies
| Genus | Species | subspecies | Breeding Range | Breeding Range 2 | Non Breeding Range |
| Pithys | albifrons | SA | n, w Amazonia | ||
| Pithys | albifrons | albifrons | |||
| Pithys | albifrons | brevibarba | |||
| Pithys | albifrons | peruvianus |
Physical charateristics
It is marked by red-brownish plumage, black wings, and a black head with a bright-white feathered mask.
Listen to the sound of White-plumed Antbird
[audio:http://www.aviflevoland.nl/sounddb/W/White-plumed Antbird.mp3]
Copyright remark: Most sounds derived from xeno-canto
| wingspan min.: | 0 | cm | wingspan max.: | 0 | cm |
| size min.: | 11 | cm | size max.: | 12 | cm |
| incubation min.: | 14 | days | incubation max.: | 15 | days |
| fledging min.: | 11 | days | fledging max.: | 15 | days |
| broods: | 1 | eggs min.: | 1 | ||
| eggs max.: | 3 |
Range
South America : North, West Amazonia
Habitat
It is found in the understorey of tropical moist lowland forests.
Reproduction
The nest cup is sunk deep into the dead leaves in a small tree of forest understorey. The outer part of the nest consists entirely of dead leaves, with an inner lining of dark-colored fibrous rootlets. Clutch size is two eggs, incubated by both parents lasting about 15 days. The young fledge after about 12 days, after which each parents takes care of one young.
Feeding habits
This is one of the smallest obligate ant followers and it tends to hang about the edges of the antswarm darting in to catch prey that the ants have aroused then darting back out. Will feed on other insects and even small lizards. Forages in family groups usually low above ground in the understorey. Has to be very speedy to catch prey because of its size (very small) and the competition of other species following the same ant swarm.
Conservation
This species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). The population trend appears to be stable, and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size has not been quantified, but it is not believed to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.
Migration
Sedentary throughout range.
Distribution map
