Black Antbird Cercomacroides serva Scientific name definitions

Accurately but not necessarily well named, this is actually one of four Cercomacra antbirds in which the male is largely black, relieved by white wing markings and with a contrasting red eye. Females possess a blackish tail, whilst the rest of their plumage conforms well to the pattern shown by other congenerics of the same sex, being warm rufous-buff below and browner above, with brighter wing spotting. The Black Antbird is endemic to upper Amazonia, where it is encountered in the undergrowth of humid evergreen forest from southern Colombia south to northern Bolivia, and east across western Brazil. It is a principally lowland species, but ranges to approximately 1300 m in the foothills of the Andes.

E of Andes from S Colombia (Putumayo), Ecuador, Peru and SW Amazonian Brazil (E to lower R Juruá, lower R Purus and upper R Madeira) S to NW Bolivia (Pando, La Paz).

Male loudsong a series of 4–7 countable (e.g. 4 notes, 1·5 seconds) sharp notes rising in pitch and accelerating slightly; female similar but lower-pitched and often followed by 2–4 soft abrupt notes, usually given in duet at end of male loudsong. Calls include a short to moderately long (e.g. 2 seconds) series of harsh “chak” notes delivered rapidly, and similar notes given in pairs.

Four nests found in SE Peru contained eggs or nestlings in Sep–Dec; nest, a pensile hanging cup, much higher at the back that at the front, made with dark fibers, dry leaves, sticks and fresh moss, placed on average at 70 cm above the ground; clutch 2 eggs; eggs variably white or creamy, with red blotches, fine lines or violet spots, measuring on average 21·7 mm × 14·9 mm and weighing c. 2·4 g when fresh; recently hatched nestlings lack down, have black skin, yellow gap and yellow bill with black in the tip, and weigh c. 2g; both parents feed the nestlings; nestling period, 12–14 days (2 Flórez-V., C. and Londoño, G.A. (2014). Nesting biology of the Black Antbird (Cercomacroides serva). Wilson J. Orn.. 126(3): 463–473. Close ). No further information.