Brownish-headed Antbird Myrmelastes brunneiceps Scientific name definitions

Brownish-headed Antbird is apparently endemic to a small area of southeast Peru and adjacent northwest Bolivia. It was formerly considered to be a subspecies of the widespread Spot-winged Antbird (Myrmelastes leucostigma), and the two differ only marginally in female plumage, but quite obviously in song. Like other members of this species complex, for instance Humaita Antbird (Myrmelastes humaythae), which replaces it to the east across Amazonian Brazil, Brownish-headed Antbird generally forages in pairs in the undergrowth and on the forest floor, and has a fondness for particularly dense vegetation.

14–16 cm. A typical member of the M. leucostigma species complex; compared to most other taxa, being slightly less dark than M. l. intensus and female has crown and sides of head brownish olive, and female is easily distinguished by having head brown (rather than grey); but plumage is darker in both sexes compared to M. humaythae.

S Peru (Cuzco, W Madre de Dios, Puno) and extreme WC Bolivia (WC La Paz).

Inhabits understorey and floor of humid, lowland, foothill and montane evergreen forest; in lowlands usually associated with dense understorey vegetation along forest streams or in low-lying, poorly drained areas inside terra firme or transitional forest. Recorded to c. 1400 m in SE Peru.

No dietary data available. Little information published, but most facets of its foraging behaviour and ecology are probably very similar, if not identical, to those of M. leucostigma (which see).

Loudsong is a rapid, accelerating series of high-pitched, ringing notes, rendered “tee, tee-ti-ti-ti’ti’ti’i’i’I’I’I’i’i’i’i’i’i’ew”; differs from that of M. leucostigma in being higher-pitched and slower, with fewer total notes (versus faster and accelerating at start, then decelerating at end, and lower-pitched overall, with pitch increasing then decreasing gradually); from M. rufifacies in being higher-pitched and initially much faster (versus accelerating throughout, with more clearly downslurred, frequency-modulated and shortening notes, and overall lower-pitched); and from M. humaythae in being much higher-pitched with many fewer notes, and descending at end rather than being even-pitched (versus faster-paced and accelerating at start, decelerating at end, and lower-pitched). No differences reported to date between present species and others in long call, short call or rattle.

Published photographs from SE Peru (without details) of the nest and eggs suggest that the former is much closer in structure to nests reported from Guyana (here judged to be probably best referred to M. saturatus, which see), being a deep open, bag-shaped nest slung between lateral supports; clutch two whitish eggs heavily marked throughout with dark mauve to purplish-brown markings (blotches and broad streaks). No further information.

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Uncommon throughout most of its range, which includes several protected areas, including Manu National Park, in Peru, and Madidi National Park, in Bolivia. Regions inhabited by species also encompass extensive areas of intact habitat which are not formally protected, but seem unlikely to be threatened by development in the near future.