The chestnut-backed antbird (Poliocrania exsul) is a passerinebird in the antbird family. It is found in humid forests in Central and South America (Chocó-Magdalena), ranging from eastern Nicaragua to western Ecuador. It mainly occurs in lowlands up to an altitude of 900 metres (3,000 ft) m, but locally it occurs higher.
This is a common bird in the understory thickets of wet forest, especially at edges, along streams and in old treefall clearings, and in adjacent tall second growth. The female lays two purple or red-brown spotted white eggs, which are incubated by both sexes, in an untidy cup nest which is constructed from vines, plant fibre and dead leaves and placed low in vegetation. The male and female parents both feed the chicks.
The chestnut-backed antbird was described by the English zoologist Philip Sclater in 1859 and given the binomial nameMyrmeciza exsul.[2] A molecular phylogenetic study published in 2013 found that the genus Myrmeciza, as then defined, was polyphyletic.[3] In the resulting rearrangement to create monophyletic genera the chestnut-backed antbird was moved to a newly erected genus Poliocrania. The name of the new genus combines the Ancient Greek words polios "ash-gray" and kranion "head" or "skull".[3] The genus is monospecific.[4]
The chestnut-backed antbird is heavy-bodied and short-tailed, typically 14 centimetres (5.5 in) long, and weighing 28 grams (0.99 oz). Both sexes have a pale blue bare patch of skin around each eye. The adult male has a blackish head, neck and breast, and the rest of the upperparts, wings and tail are chestnut. The flanks and the lower belly are a somewhat darker brown. The female has a brownish-black head and neck, but this does not extend to the breast. Her underparts are a darker chestnut in the nominate subspecies of the Caribbean lowlands from Nicaragua to Panama, but more rufous in M. e. occidentalis of the Pacific lowlands in Costa Rica and Panama. M. e. niglarus from eastern Panama and far north-western Colombia (northern Chocó Department) is similar. Young birds are duller and slatier than the adults.
The subspecies found in far south-east Panama (Darién Province), Colombia (except northern Chocó Department) and Ecuador, P. e. maculifer and P. e. cassini, have two wing bars consisting of white spots.[5] They were once considered a separate species, the wing-spotted antbird (P. maculifer), but are vocally similar to the subspecies without spots on the wings,[5] and the two groups hybridize where their distributions come into contact.
This species has a grating naar call, and the male's song is a whistled peeet peeew answered by the female's higher pitched version.
The chestnut-backed antbird is normally found as pairs throughout the year, but occasionally joins mixed-species feeding flocks or army ants. It feeds on insects, other arthropods, and sometimes small frogs or lizards taken from leaf litter and vine tangles in low vegetation or on the ground. It is easier to hear than see in its dense habitat, but can be attracted by imitating its whistled song. It may then give a territorial display with puffed-up body, drooped wings, and pumping tail.
Referencesedit
^BirdLife International (2016). "Poliocrania exsul". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T103659811A93849024. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T103659811A93849024.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
^Sclater, Philip (1858). "On two species of Ant-birds in the collection of the Derby Museum, at Liverpool". Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London. Part 26: 540–541. The volume is dated 1858 but was published in 1859.
^ abIsler, M.L.; Bravo, G.A.; Brumfield, R.T. (2013). "Taxonomic revision of Myrmeciza (Aves: Passeriformes: Thamnophilidae) into 12 genera based on phylogenetic, morphological, behavioral, and ecological data" (PDF). Zootaxa. 3717 (4): 469–497. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3717.4.3. PMID 26176119.
^ abGill, Frank; Donsker, David, eds. (2017). "Antbirds". World Bird List Version 8.1. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
^ abWillis, Edwin O.; Oniki, Yoshika (1972). "Ecology and nesting behavior of the Chestnut-Backed Antbird (Myrmeciza exsul)" (PDF). Condor. 74 (1): 87–98. doi:10.2307/1366453. JSTOR 1366453.
Further readingedit
Skutch, Alexander F. (1969). "Tyrannine antbird" (PDF). Life Histories of Central American Birds III: Families Cotingidae, Pipridae, Formicariidae, Furnariidae, Dendrocolaptidae, and Picidae. Pacific Coast Avifauna, Number 35. Berkeley, California: Cooper Ornithological Society. pp. 236–244.
External linksedit
Audio recordings of Chestnut-backed antbird on Xeno-canto.
April 12, 2024
chestnut, backed, antbird, chestnut, backed, antbird, poliocrania, exsul, passerine, bird, antbird, family, found, humid, forests, central, south, america, chocó, magdalena, ranging, from, eastern, nicaragua, western, ecuador, mainly, occurs, lowlands, altitud. The chestnut backed antbird Poliocrania exsul is a passerine bird in the antbird family It is found in humid forests in Central and South America Choco Magdalena ranging from eastern Nicaragua to western Ecuador It mainly occurs in lowlands up to an altitude of 900 metres 3 000 ft m but locally it occurs higher Chestnut backed antbirdConservation statusLeast Concern IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass AvesOrder PasseriformesFamily ThamnophilidaeGenus PoliocraniaBravo Isler ML amp Brumfield 2013Species P exsulBinomial namePoliocrania exsul Sclater PL 1859 SynonymsMyrmeciza exsulThis is a common bird in the understory thickets of wet forest especially at edges along streams and in old treefall clearings and in adjacent tall second growth The female lays two purple or red brown spotted white eggs which are incubated by both sexes in an untidy cup nest which is constructed from vines plant fibre and dead leaves and placed low in vegetation The male and female parents both feed the chicks Contents 1 Taxonomy 2 Description 3 References 4 Further reading 5 External linksTaxonomy editThe chestnut backed antbird was described by the English zoologist Philip Sclater in 1859 and given the binomial name Myrmeciza exsul 2 A molecular phylogenetic study published in 2013 found that the genus Myrmeciza as then defined was polyphyletic 3 In the resulting rearrangement to create monophyletic genera the chestnut backed antbird was moved to a newly erected genus Poliocrania The name of the new genus combines the Ancient Greek words polios ash gray and kranion head or skull 3 The genus is monospecific 4 There are five subspecies 4 P e exsul Sclater PL 1859 east Nicaragua to west Panama P e occidentalis Cherrie 1891 west Costa Rica and south Panama P e cassini Ridgway 1908 southeast Panama and north Colombia P e niglarus Wetmore 1962 east Panama and northwest Colombia P e maculifer Hellmayr 1906 west Colombia and west EcuadorDescription edit nbsp Female M e occidentalis in Corcovado National Park Costa Rica The chestnut backed antbird is heavy bodied and short tailed typically 14 centimetres 5 5 in long and weighing 28 grams 0 99 oz Both sexes have a pale blue bare patch of skin around each eye The adult male has a blackish head neck and breast and the rest of the upperparts wings and tail are chestnut The flanks and the lower belly are a somewhat darker brown The female has a brownish black head and neck but this does not extend to the breast Her underparts are a darker chestnut in the nominate subspecies of the Caribbean lowlands from Nicaragua to Panama but more rufous in M e occidentalis of the Pacific lowlands in Costa Rica and Panama M e niglarus from eastern Panama and far north western Colombia northern Choco Department is similar Young birds are duller and slatier than the adults The subspecies found in far south east Panama Darien Province Colombia except northern Choco Department and Ecuador P e maculifer and P e cassini have two wing bars consisting of white spots 5 They were once considered a separate species the wing spotted antbird P maculifer but are vocally similar to the subspecies without spots on the wings 5 and the two groups hybridize where their distributions come into contact This species has a grating naar call and the male s song is a whistled peeet peeew answered by the female s higher pitched version The chestnut backed antbird is normally found as pairs throughout the year but occasionally joins mixed species feeding flocks or army ants It feeds on insects other arthropods and sometimes small frogs or lizards taken from leaf litter and vine tangles in low vegetation or on the ground It is easier to hear than see in its dense habitat but can be attracted by imitating its whistled song It may then give a territorial display with puffed up body drooped wings and pumping tail References edit BirdLife International 2016 Poliocrania exsul IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016 e T103659811A93849024 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2016 3 RLTS T103659811A93849024 en Retrieved 12 November 2021 Sclater Philip 1858 On two species of Ant birds in the collection of the Derby Museum at Liverpool Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London Part 26 540 541 The volume is dated 1858 but was published in 1859 a b Isler M L Bravo G A Brumfield R T 2013 Taxonomic revision of Myrmeciza Aves Passeriformes Thamnophilidae into 12 genera based on phylogenetic morphological behavioral and ecological data PDF Zootaxa 3717 4 469 497 doi 10 11646 zootaxa 3717 4 3 PMID 26176119 a b Gill Frank Donsker David eds 2017 Antbirds World Bird List Version 8 1 International Ornithologists Union Retrieved 30 January 2018 a b Willis Edwin O Oniki Yoshika 1972 Ecology and nesting behavior of the Chestnut Backed Antbird Myrmeciza exsul PDF Condor 74 1 87 98 doi 10 2307 1366453 JSTOR 1366453 Further reading editSkutch Alexander F 1969 Tyrannine antbird PDF Life Histories of Central American Birds III Families Cotingidae Pipridae Formicariidae Furnariidae Dendrocolaptidae and Picidae Pacific Coast Avifauna Number 35 Berkeley California Cooper Ornithological Society pp 236 244 External links editAudio recordings of Chestnut backed antbird on Xeno canto Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Chestnut backed antbird amp oldid 1217681950, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
