Sierra Nevada Antpitta

Grallaria spatiator

Rotund bird with long legs and a short tail restricted to Colombia’s Santa Marta Mountains. It is mostly brown with a tawny breast, pale belly, and short mustache stripe. Similar to Rusty-breasted Antpitta, but larger, longer-legged, and found at higher elevations. Usually stays on the ground inside cloud forest where it is hard to see, but sometimes perches higher to sing and may venture out into the open just before dawn. Gives a short, burry whistle every few seconds as well as a longer, descending trill. Formerly considered to be a subspecies of what used to be called Rufous Antpitta.

Identification

The Sierra Nevada antpitta (Grallaria spatiator) is a species of bird in the family Grallariidae. It is endemic to the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in northern Colombia.

Taxonomy

Genus: Grallaria; Family: Grallariidae; Order: Passeriformes.

Scientific name
Grallaria spatiator
Authority
Bangs, 1898
Order
Passeriformes
Family
Grallariidae
Genus
Grallaria

Photos

Distribution

Bird Calls

Other Birds

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