Identification
Small, boldly patterned bird of mossy tepui forests. Mostly rufous-brown on back and tail, with dark ear patch, bright white throat, and dark underparts streaked white. Found only in humid, mossy forest on tepui slopes, where it is often one of the more common understory birds provided moss growth is sufficient. Clambers over branches and climbs small tree trunks, gleaning insects from bark and probing into moss, usually in the understory but up into middle levels as well. Often follows mixed-species flocks. Contact call between members of a pair is an sharp squeak. Song is a series of 6–9 high-pitched, forceful notes, the first somewhat lower pitched. Unlikely to be mistaken for other species given bold plumage pattern and restricted range.