Variegated Antpitta (Grallaria varia)

[order] Passeriformes | [family] Formicariidae | [latin] Grallaria varia | [UK] Variegated Antpitta | [FR] Grallaire roi | [DE] Grosse Bartameisenpitta | [ES] Tororoi Pintado | [IT] Pitta formichiera variegata | [NL] Bonte Koningsmierpitta

Forehead olive brown, crown and nape grey. Olive brown mantle with the feathers having a narrow black edge. Dark brown wings with dakrer margins, tail chestnut. Chin and throat dark brown becoming less dark on the chest. Frontside with yellowish feather streaks. Sexws are alike.

Variegated Antpitta is found in the Guianas and Venezuela to the west; in the Amazon Basin, it is found in the downstream half of the Basin, also the Atlantic outlet region to the southeast, of the neighboring Tocantins-Araguaia River drainage. A minor disjunct population is in Peru, and the Argentinian population is found in the tongue of land between Paraguay and southern Brazil.

Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montanes

Only sings during nesting. Nst is built low above ground (up to 3 meter) and consists of damp moss and dead leaves. Often located on top of a dead stump or cervice of tree. Clutch size is 2 eggs, incubated by female only for about 17 days. After hatching both parents care for the young.

Feeds on worms and other invertebrates. Forages preferably in wet open spaces inside forest. In Sirnam found in elevated forest regions.

This species has a large range, with an estimated global extent of occurrence of 3,200,000 km