Goeldi's Antbird Akletos goeldii Scientific name definitions

The Goeldi’s Antbird is a large chunky black antbird in the genus Myrmeciza that is restricted to the lowlands of southwestern Amazonia in southeastern Peru, western Brazil, and northern Bolivia. It is the ecological replacement of White-shouldered Antbird (Myrmeciza melanoceps) of northwestern Amazonia. Males are entirely black, with a red eye, and blue facial skin behind the eye. Females are entirely light rufous-brown, with a white throat, and gray forehead. The Goeldi’s Antbird is found in the understory of seasonally flooded forest, particularly in Heliconia thickets and Guadua bamboo along the edge of rivers. It overlaps in range with two other “large” Myrmeciza antbirds, the Plumbeous Antbird (Myrmeciza hyperythra) and the Sooty Antbird (Myrmeciza fortis). Plumbeous Antbird can be found in similar habitat, but both males and females have extensive white spotting in the wings, and a very different voice. Sooty Antbird is a bird of terra firme forest, and is unlikely to overlap in habitat with Goeldi’s. Voice very similar to the White-shouldered Antbird, a “hew-tutu-hew-hew-hew-hew,” somewhat reminiscent of a North American titmouse.

17 cm; 42 g. Interscapular patch white; bare periorbital area narrow, bluish-grey . Male has black plumage; iris red. Female has anterior crown, lores and side of head blackish-grey, rear crown, upperparts and wings rufous-brown, tail dark reddish-brown, throat white, underparts light cinnamon, becoming tawny on flanks and crissum; under­wing-coverts cinnamon.

Loudsong a series (e.g. 12 notes, 3·4 seconds) beginning with 3 soft, rapidly delivered notes , first longer than second but shorter than third, followed by evenly paced series of downslurred whistles, notes shorter than intervals. Calls include long harsh note, and short (e.g. 1 second) rattle with first note emphatic, then diminishing in intensity.