Manu Antbird
Cercomacra manu
Skinny antbird of bamboo stands. Males are dark gray or black with small white wing bars and white spots on the underside of the tail; females are gray below, brown above, looking dark overall, with faint buffy wing bars and spots on the underside of the tail. Almost always found in bamboo thickets. Listen for its distinctive song, a rubbery, bouncing “pook-cha-pook-cha-pook-cha.” Distinguished from the similar Gray Antbird by male’s nearly black plumage (not gray) and female’s grayer underparts (not uniformly brown). Males also are similar to Dot-winged Antwren, but are larger, with less white on the wing bars and slightly lighter overall plumage (not glossy black like the antwren).
Identification
The Manu antbird (Cercomacra manu) is a species of bird in subfamily Thamnophilinae of family Thamnophilidae, the "typical antbirds". It is found in Brazil, Bolivia, and Peru.
Taxonomy
Genus: Cercomacra; Family: Thamnophilidae; Order: Passeriformes.
- Scientific name
- Cercomacra manu
- Authority
- Fitzpatrick & Willard, 1990
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Thamnophilidae
- Genus
- Cercomacra
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Migration pattern: Resident species.
Conservation
Population trend: declining.
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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Immense and imposing owl of dense wet lowland and hill forests. Silver-gray adult is majestic, with a large yellow bill, black eyes, and sweeping sidewards-facing “horns.” Juvenile is much paler, almost white, with shorter tufts. Gives deep echoing hoots. Primarily nocturnal, but will on occasion hunt by day; takes prey as large as small deer.
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