Rufous Gnateater
A species of Gnateaters Scientific name : Conopophaga lineata Genus : Gnateaters
Rufous Gnateater, A species of Gnateaters
Botanical name: Conopophaga lineata
Genus: Gnateaters
Content
Description
Photo By Lars Petersson
Description
It is a small, rounded bird, 13 cm in length with a short tail and fairly long legs. The plumage is mostly reddish brown. There is a white stripe above the eye (grey in the female) which ends in a tuft of feathers which can be hidden. The call is a series of quiet cheeps which become faster and higher-pitched. At dusk and dawn the males make a buzzing sound with their wing feathers as they fly around their territory. The rufous gnateater feeds by moving quickly from one perch to another through undergrowth close to the ground. When it sees an insect it makes a short flight down to the ground or to overhead leaves to catch it. The cup-shaped nest is built in a tree and made of sticks and moss. The female lays two buff-coloured eggs, oval or slightly conical in shape.
Size
14 cm
Feeding Habits
Rufous Gnateater's diet primarily includes ants and termites, supplemented with a variety of other arthropods like beetles, spiders, and insect larvae. Its feeding behavior involves foraging in leaf litter and foliage near the ground, occasionally exploiting army-ant swarms. Unique dietary inclusions are seeds, small frogs, and occasional fruit.
Habitat
The rufous Gnateater is found in semi-humid evergreen woodlands and gallery forests, primarily in the northeastern and interior regions of South America. This species has an affinity for bamboo thickets and dense growth areas within humid forests in southeastern parts of its range. The rufous Gnateater also inhabits more arid gallery forests along the eastern margins of the central highlands, occasionally venturing to the periphery of natural grasslands.
Dite type
Insectivorous
Photo By Lars Petersson
Scientific Classification
Phylum
Chordates Class
Birds Order
Perching birds Family
Gnateaters Genus
Gnateaters Species
Rufous Gnateater