Scaly-throated Foliage-gleaner Anabacerthia variegaticeps Scientific name definitions

Scaly-throated Foliage-gleaner resides in subtropical forest of the western Andean slope and in Central America. They occur in three subspecies: A. v. variegaticeps, A. v. schaldachi, and A. v. temporalis. These have been considered separate species in the past. All subspecies share buffy spectacles and a buffy eyebrow stripe. Additionally, all have a pale throat; only in temporalis of South America do the throat feathers have the namesake scaly pattern. They occupy both primary and second-growth forest, where they frequently join mixed-species flocks. They forage actively in the mid levels by rummaging and gleaning for invertebrate prey. Their call is an emphatic wheezy buzz in Central America, or a dry “spek” note in South America.

15–16 cm; 19–25 g. Medium-sized, rather plain and dull-plumaged furnariid with conspicuous face pattern, wedge-shaped bill. Nominate race has broad supercilium ochraceous buff, extending forwards narrowly to bill base, broad ochraceous buff eyering contiguous with supercilium, distinct dark brown postocular line; lores, band below eyes, and auriculars grizzled to flammu­lated dark brown and dull buff; crown dull greyish-brown with inconspicuous buff shaft streaks, these fading posteriorly; hindcrown and uppermost back dull dark brown, rest of back to uppertail-coverts rich rufescent brown; wings mostly rich rufescent brown, conspicuous dark brown primary coverts with outer edges rich rufescent brown; tail nearly square, rectrices with shafts slightly stiffened basally, slightly pointed tips, chestnut; indistinct dark malar streak; throat and side of neck dull pale whitish-buff, faintly scalloped, blending to light brown breast with faint scalloping and streaking, this disappearing posteriorly; belly medium brown, flanks and undertail-coverts darker, slightly tinged rufescent; iris brown; upper mandible dark fuscous to dark grey-brown, lower mandible dull greenish-horn to greyish, sometimes paler base; tarsus and toes dull yellowish-green to olive-green. Sexes alike. Juvenile has more pronounced scaling on throat and breast, more ochraceous breast and belly. Race schaldachi differs from nominate in having underparts greyer, less rufescent, throat scalloping greatly reduced, crown greyer; temporalis distinctive, much darker and more heavily marked, crown darker and more conspicuously streaked, back slightly darker, more chestnut, facial markings darker, almost blackish, making eyering more conspicuous, breast with broad, blurred rich brown and ochraceous streaking, belly and flanks darker.

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Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Montane evergreen forest, locally to tropical lowland evergreen forest; also tall second growth. Mostly 700–2500 m.

Resident; some downslope movement, to 400 m, in non-breeding season.

Recorded dietary items are Homoptera, Coleoptera, katydids (Tettigoniidae), moths, and spiders. Forages singly or in pairs, regularly to usually in mixed-species flocks, from understorey to canopy. Hitches and hops along horizontal branches, usually with side-to-side motion, often leaning down to inspect underside of branch, sometimes clinging acrobatically upside-down. Gleans arthropods from mossy branches, foliage and epiphytes, including bromeliads.

Song 15–20 squeaky, sharp “squeak” or “skew” notes that lasts several seconds, sometimes ascending and then descending, initial notes very dry and suggesting “chip” notes of a hummingbird (Trochilidae). Call an explosive, dry “squeak!” or “squeer!”; peculiar scratchy rattle, and scratchy, squeaky “kweeeah” also given.

Presumably monogamous. Nest in old hole of woodpecker (Picidae) in tree, bottom filled with deep layer of moss. Clutch reported as 2 eggs. No further information.

Not globally threatened. Uncommon to common. Occurs in several protected areas, e.g. Tapantí National Park, in Costa Rica, and La Planada Nature Reserve and Río Ñambí Natural Reserve, in Colombia. Present in fragmented forest.