Ocellated antbird facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ocellated antbird |
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Phaenostictus
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| Species: |
mcleannani
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The ocellated antbird (Phaenostictus mcleannani) is a type of antbird. It belongs to the family called Thamnophilidae, which are known as the "typical antbirds". You can find this bird in several countries, including Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama.
Contents
About the Ocellated Antbird
Naming the Bird
The ocellated antbird was first officially described in 1861 by an American bird expert named George Newbold Lawrence. He gave it the scientific name Phlogopsis mcleannani. Later, in 1909, another American bird expert, Robert Ridgway, placed it in a new group, or genus, called Phaenostictus.
The name Phaenostictus comes from ancient Greek words. Phainō means "to display," and stiktos means "spotted." The second part of its scientific name, mcleannani, honors James McLeannan. He was a railway engineer who found the first example of this bird in Panama.
Scientists have studied the antbird family using special genetic tests. These studies show that the ocellated antbird is closely related to birds in the genus Pithys. The ocellated antbird is the only species in its genus. It has three slightly different types, called subspecies: P. m. mcleannani, P. m. saturatus, and P. m. pacificus.
What the Ocellated Antbird Looks Like
The ocellated antbird is a fairly large antbird. It has a long beak and a long tail. It is about 17.5 to 20 centimeters (7 to 8 inches) long and weighs around 50 grams (1.8 ounces). Female birds are usually a little smaller and lighter than males.
Interestingly, birds of this species that live closer to the Equator tend to have slightly smaller wings and beaks. This is a pattern seen in many animals. Both male and female ocellated antbirds look very similar. The different subspecies also look much alike.
Adult birds have a brownish-gray head and a reddish-brown neck. They have bright blue skin around their eyes, which makes them easy to spot. Their cheeks and throat are black. Their back feathers and wing feathers are black with thin reddish-brown edges, making them look a bit scaly. Their lower back is plain greenish-brown, and their flight feathers are dark brown. Their tail is black.
Their chest is reddish-brown, matching their neck. The feathers on their belly are black with wider reddish-brown edges than their back feathers. The area near their tail is reddish-brown. Young birds look similar to adults but have a darker cap on their head. Their patterns on the back and belly are also not as clear.
Where the Ocellated Antbird Lives
The ocellated antbird lives in a wide area, from Honduras all the way down to Ecuador. The subspecies P. m. saturatus lives in the northern parts, from Honduras through Nicaragua and Costa Rica, into western Panama. The main subspecies, P. m. mcleannani, is found in central and eastern Panama and into northwestern Colombia. The subspecies P. m. pacificus lives in southwestern Colombia and northwestern Ecuador.
These birds prefer to live in lowland and foothill evergreen forests. They especially like old, untouched forests, but they can also be found in older forests that have regrown. They almost always stay hidden in the forest undergrowth, close to the ground. They can be found at different elevations, usually below 1,250 meters (4,100 feet) in Central America. In Colombia, they live below 900 meters (3,000 feet), and in Ecuador, mostly below 400 meters (1,300 feet).
Behavior and Life Cycle
Movement
The ocellated antbird stays in the same area all year round. It does not migrate.
Feeding Habits
The ocellated antbird is an "obligate ant follower." This means it almost always follows swarms of army ants to find its food. As the army ants march through the forest, they scare insects and other small creatures (called arthropods) out of their hiding spots. The antbirds then catch these fleeing creatures.
These birds usually hunt in pairs or small family groups. They perch about 1 meter (3 feet) off the ground, often near the front of the ant swarm. From there, they quickly fly out to grab their prey. While ocellated antbirds don't usually join large mixed groups of birds, several different bird species might follow the same ant swarm. The ocellated antbird is often the strongest bird in these groups. They rarely go into open areas unless the ants they are following also cross them.
Reproduction and Family Life
The way ocellated antbirds live together is quite special for an antbird. A breeding pair forms the center of a group, or "clan." This clan includes their male offspring and their mates. These family groups work together to protect their nesting areas from other antbird clans.
Their nest is shaped like a cup. It is made from small twigs, pieces of vines, and leaves, all held together with tiny fungal threads. They usually build their nest on the ground, often tucked between the large roots of a tree. A female typically lays two eggs. Both parents take turns sitting on the eggs to keep them warm. Both parents also feed the young birds once they hatch. Scientists are still learning more about how long the eggs take to hatch and how long it takes for the young birds to leave the nest.
Vocalizations (Songs and Calls)
The main song of the ocellated antbird is a loud, high, and thin series of whistles. It starts high, then goes lower, and the last notes sound a bit rougher. You could write it as "peee-peee-pee-peepee-ee-ee-ee-ee-ee-ee-ee-eer-eer." They also have a quieter version of this song with more notes, but without the rough ending. Another version has "chirring" notes mixed in. When they are near ant swarms, they often make a nasal sound like "dzurrr" or "dzeerr."
Conservation Status
The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) has listed the ocellated antbird as a species of "Least Concern." This means they are not currently in danger of disappearing. They live across a very large area. However, their total population size is not known, and it is thought to be decreasing.
No immediate major threats have been found for these birds. But, ocellated antbirds are very sensitive to parts of the forest being cut down or broken up. Also, because they need large areas to follow the army ants for food, this makes them more sensitive to changes in their habitat.
Images for kids
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Ocellated Antbird
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Range map of the Ocellated Antbird
