Black-faced antthrush facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Black-faced antthrush |
|
|---|---|
.jpg) |
|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Formicarius
|
| Species: |
analis
|
 |
|
The black-faced antthrush (Formicarius analis) is a cool bird that lives in forests. It's a type of passerine bird, which means it's a perching bird. It belongs to the family Formicariidae.
Contents
About This Bird's Name
The black-faced antthrush got its official name in 1837. Two French scientists, Alcide d'Orbigny and Frédéric de Lafresnaye, described it first. They found a bird in Bolivia and named it Myothera analis.
The word analis comes from a Latin word. It means "relating to the undertail-coverts of the vent." This refers to the feathers under its tail. Today, this bird is part of the Formicarius group. A Dutch scientist named Pieter Boddaert created this group in 1783.
Different Types of Black-faced Antthrushes
There are eleven known types, or subspecies, of the black-faced antthrush. These are slightly different versions of the same bird, often living in different places.
- F. a. umbrosus Ridgway, 1893 – from Honduras to western Panama
- F. a. hoffmanni (Cabanis, 1861) – found in southwest Costa Rica and southwest Panama
- F. a. panamensis Ridgway, 1908 – lives in eastern Panama and northwest Colombia
- F. a. virescens Todd, 1915 – from the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in northeast Colombia
- F. a. saturatus Ridgway, 1893 – found in northern Colombia, northwest Venezuela, and Trinidad
- F. a. griseoventris Aveledo & Ginés, 1950 – from the Perijá Mountains in northeast Colombia and northwest Venezuela
- F. a. connectens Chapman, 1914 – lives in eastern Colombia
- F. a. zamorae Chapman, 1923 – found in eastern Ecuador, northeast Peru, and western Brazil
- F. a. crissalis (Cabanis, 1861) – from eastern Venezuela, the Guianas, and northeast Brazil
- F. a. analis (d'Orbigny & Lafresnaye, 1837) – lives in eastern and southeast Peru, northern Bolivia, and central Brazil
- F. a. paraensis Novaes, 1957 – found in southeast Amazonian Brazil
Sometimes, the hoffmanni type is seen as its own species, called the Panama antthrush. This is mainly because its song sounds different. Also, the Mayan antthrush (Formicarius moniliger) used to be thought of as the same species as the black-faced antthrush.
What Does It Look Like?
The black-faced antthrush looks a bit like a rail, which is another type of bird. It has a chunky body and usually holds itself horizontally. It has a strong bill and a short tail that often sticks up.
This bird walks instead of hopping. It moves with a jerky motion, just like a rail. It is usually about 18 to 19 cm (7 to 7.5 in) long. It weighs about 59 g (2 oz).
Its upper body is a reddish-brown color. Its belly and chest are a lighter brown. But its face and throat are black, which is how it got its name! The feathers under its tail and behind its eyes are reddish. Both male and female birds look the same.
Where Does It Live?
The black-faced antthrush is a common bird in the tropical forests of the New World. You can find it from Honduras all the way through Central America to the northern parts of South America.
It lives in countries like Colombia, Venezuela, Trinidad, and Brazil. It is also found throughout most of the Amazon Basin.
How Does It Behave?
The antthrush builds its nest inside a hollow branch or tree stump. It lines the nest with leaves. The female bird usually lays two white eggs.
This bird is an insectivore, which means it eats insects. It mostly feeds on ants and other small bugs. It spends most of its time on the ground, searching for food. Sometimes, it will even follow groups of army ants to catch insects that are trying to escape.
The bird's call is easy to recognize. It starts with a loud whistle, like WHU!. Then, it follows with a series of 2 to 10 whistles that go down in pitch, like wu-wu-wu-wu-wu-wu-wu-wu-wu.
See also
In Spanish: Formicario enmascarado para niños
