Jocotoco Antpitta

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Jocotoco Antpitta

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Formicariidae (provisional)
Genus:	Grallaria
Species:	G. ridgelyi

Binomial name

Grallaria ridgelyi
Krabbe, Agro, Rice, Jacome, Navarrete & Sornoza, 1999

The Jocotoco Antpitta, Grallaria ridgelyi, is an endangered bird from Ecuador. It is a large (150-200 g) antbird with a striking head pattern with tufts of white plumes beneath the eyes, and has a song similar to the hooting of the Rufous-banded Owl. Its closest relative appears to be the Chestnut-naped Antpitta and the Pale-billed Antpitta, whith which it forms a group of antpittas with uniform breast plumage and smoky-grey flanks (Krabbe et al. 1999).

As with other true antpittas, assignment to the Formicariidae family is in need of verification (Rice 2005).

G. ridgelyi inhabits only wet, mossy forest with ample Chusquea bamboo stands and Silvery-leaved Cecropia trees. It is found at an altitude of 2,300 to 2,680 meters (Krabbe et al. 1999). It appears to be limited to the upper Rio Chinchipe drainage in Zamora-Chinchipe province.

This species was only discovered in 1997, and scientifically described in 1999. To protect the presumably small population of this bird, the Cerro Tapichalaca Biological Reserve was established on behalf of the Fundación Jocotoco in 1998. It is presently known only from a very small number of locations and appears to be declining.

Consequently, the IUCN classifies it as Endangered (B1ab(i,ii,iii,v)). This means that based on currently available data, it is estimated to occur in no more than 5 locations over a total area of less than 5000 km², with both habitat quality and availability, and numbers declining, and some of the subpopulations in danger of disappearance. While it is possible that the species turns out to be more widespread due to its shyness and the call which might be mistaken for an Rufous-banded Owl, it is not known outside the reserve and immediately adjacent areas (BirdLife International, 2004).

This bird's specific name honors Robert S. Ridgely, an expert on neotropical birdlife and author of numerous field guides. The vernacular name refers to the local name of the bird, jocotoco, which is onomatopoetic after the hooting calls and song (Krabbe et al. 1999).

[edit] References

BirdLife International (2004). Grallaria ridgelyi. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 22 Feb 2007. Database entry includes justification for why this species is endangered

Krabbe, Niels; Agro, D.J.; Rice, N.H.; Jacome, M.; Navarrete, L. & Sornoza M., F. (1999): A new species of antpitta (Formicariidae: Grallaria) from the southern Ecuadorian Andes. Auk 116(4): 882-890. [English with Spanish abstract] PDF fulltext

Rice, Nathan H. (2005): Phylogenetic relationships of antpitta genera (Passeriformes: Formicariidae). Auk 122(2): 673-683. [English with Spanish abstract] DOI:10.1642/0004-8038(2005)122[0673:PROAGP]2.0.CO;2 PDF fulltext