Conopophaga
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Conopophaga is a genus of birds in the gnateater family. Its members breed in subtropical or tropical moist forest in Central and South America.
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[edit] Habitat and range
Gnateaters are birds of the forest understory, bamboo stands, and the forest floor in the Amazon and Orinoco basins and surrounding slightly higher ground. Some species live in impenetrable thickets; others live in more open forest. While they are always found near the forest floor, seldom rising more than 1.5 m above the ground, they also seldom travel or spend much time on the ground (though they do feed there; see diet).
They are round, short-tailed, and long-legged birds, about 12-18 cm (5-7 inches) in length. They are quite upright when standing. Sexes differ in plumage, and males are attractively coloured in shades of red and brown. Most Conopophaga species have a white tuft behind the eye.
[edit] Diet
Gnateaters are insectivorous as the group name implies. They feed mostly using two methods; one is to perch above the forest floor until prey is spotted, then lunge down to the ground to snatch it; having landed on the ground to snatch a prey item, it will not remain on the forest floor for more than a couple of seconds. The second method used by gnateaters is to glean insects directly from the foliage, trunks, and branches of low vegetation. Typical prey items include spiders, caterpillars, insect larvae, grasshoppers and beetles; individuals of some species have also been observed eating fruit, and in one case a frog.
[edit] Species list
- Rufous Gnateater, Conopophaga lineata
- Chestnut-bellied Gnateater, Conopophaga aurita
- Hooded Gnateater, Conopophaga roberti
- Ash-throated Gnateater, Conopophaga peruviana
- Slaty Gnateater, Conopophaga ardesiaca
- Chestnut-crowned Gnateater, Conopophaga castaneiceps
- Black-cheeked Gnateater, Conopophaga melanops
- Black-bellied Gnateater, Conopophaga melanogaster
[edit] References
- Rice, Nathan H. (2005b): Further Evidence for Paraphyly of the Formicariidae (Passeriformes). Condor 107(4): 910-915. [English with Spanish abstract] doi:10.1650/7696.1 PDF fulltext
- Whitney, B.M. (2003) Family Conopophagidae (Gnateaters) Pp 732-748 in del Hoyo J., Elliott A. & Christie D.A. (2003) Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 8. Broadbills to Tapaculos Lynx Edicions, Barcelona ISBN 84-87334-50-4
