Rondonia Bushbird
Clytoctantes atrogularis
Large antbird with a very distinctive, robust upturned bill. Males are all black and females are chestnut with a black throat patch. An apparently naturally rare inhabitant of the dense understory of humid forests, where it forages at lower levels, favoring areas with Lepidocaryum palms. The song is a series of musical whistles “tree-tree-tree,” repeated for long periods.
Identification
The Rondonia bushbird is 16 to 18.5 cm (6.3 to 7.3 in) long and weighs about 31 to 36 g (1.1 to 1.3 oz). It is rather stocky with a short tail. Its large bill is laterally compressed and the mandible is upturned. The sexes have different plumage. Adult males are mostly dark gray, with a hidden white patch between their shoulders and a slightly blacker bib. Adult females have a chestnut head and upper back, with a concealed white patch like the male's. Their lower back is brown, their uppertail coverts gray, and their tail black. Their wing coverts are dark chestnut with paler edges and their flight feathers dark grayish brown with chestnut-brown edges. Their throat, cheeks, and upper breast are black, their lower breast, sides and belly light chestnut, and their flanks and undertail coverts gray. Their iris is brown, their maxilla black, their mandible dark gray to black, and their legs and feet gray. Subadult males are similar to adults but with dusky flight feathers and a scattering of brown feathers on the crown.
Taxonomy
The Rondonia bushbird was first described to science in 1991 from sightings and a specimen collected in 1986. It was not again recorded away from the type locality until 2005.<p>The Rondonia bushbird is monotypic. It shares genus Clytoctantes with the recurve-billed bushbird (C. alixii) and the two are closely related to the black bushbird (Neoctantes niger).
- Scientific name
- Clytoctantes atrogularis
- Authority
- Lanyon, S, Stotz & Willard, 1991
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Thamnophilidae
- Genus
- Clytoctantes
Range and habitat
The Rondonia bushbird was first described near the Rio Jiparana, a tributary of the Rio Madeira in the Brazilian state of Rondônia. Since then it has been documented at additional sites between the rios Madeira and Sucunduri to its east in the state of Amazonas, and also in Mato Grosso. It primarily inhabits lowland humid terra firme forest in locations with tangles of vines, a dense understory, and sometimes with Guadua bamboo. It has also been recorded in moderately disturbed forest and near recently logged areas, and once in campina. In elevation it is known only below 300 m (1,000 ft).
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
The Rondonia bushbird is believed to be a year-round resident throughout its range.<p>The Rondonia bushbird feeds on insects, especially ants. It forages in vine tangles and on bamboo; on the latter it uses its bill to slit open the stem. It has also been observed apparently foraging on palm leaves. Most of the sightings have been of single birds or pairs.<p>Nothing is known about the Rondonia bushbird's breeding biology.<p>The Rondonia bushbird's song is "tree-tree-tree, consisting of long sequences of regularly spaced, essentially identical whistled notes" that can be heard beyond 100 m (300 ft). Its calls include "[in alarm] a slightly chattering but relatively steady series of very slightly squeaky notes, and a single-note contact call...in a sequence of seven or eight notes".
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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Large and long-tailed green parakeet with a bright red beak. Female lacks male’s pink-and-black ring around the neck. Note the very long tail. Similar to significantly smaller Rose-ringed Parakeet; note Alexandrine’s dark red shoulder patches and larger bill. Raucous and loud; gives piercing screeches and screams. Found in both dry and wet forest, typically in lowlands but occasionally in foothills. Native to South and Southeast Asia, introduced to parts of Europe and Hong Kong.
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