Fringe-backed Fire-eye Pyriglena atra Scientific name definitions

The Fringe-backed Fire-eye occupies a tiny and somewhat fragmented range in the lowlands of northeast Brazil, where it is further confined to southern Sergipe and northeast Bahia. Just to the north, on the opposite bank of the Rio São Francisco, it is replaced by the local subspecies of the White-backed Fire-eye (Pyriglena leuconota) and fractionally to the south by the White-shouldered Fire-eye (Pyriglena leucoptera). Both sexes of the Fringe-backed Fire-eye are similar to other fire-eyes, but males can be distinguished by the pattern of the interscapular patch and their alarm calls. It inhabits the tangled undergrowth of lowland forest, especially in second growth and other semi-open habitats, usually in pairs and small groups, and rarely joins mixed-species flocks but regularly follows army-ant swarms. Breeding apparently occurs in October–March.

16–18 cm; one individual 32 g. Male is glossy black; interscapular patch of feathers with white base and edges, black subapical band; underwing-coverts blackish-grey; iris bright red. Distinguished from extremely similar P. leuconota by pattern of interscapular feathers. Female is yellowish-brown above, no interscapular patch, tail brownish-black; lores and line above and behind eye black, side of head grey, tinged olive, chin and throat white, breast light yellowish olive-brown, belly centre whiter, flanks, crissum and underwing-coverts dark grey-tinged olive-brown. Immature has orange eyes.

E Brazil in SE Sergipe and coastal NE Bahia (S to near Santo Amaro).

Understorey of lowland evergreen-forest edge, densely vegetated light-gaps and treefalls within primary forest, and adjacent tall second growth. Occupies areas of tangled second growth with numerous horizontal perches near ground, particularly around treefalls, avoiding relatively open understorey of interior of primary forest. Capable of persisting in degraded forest and tall second growth, but avoids sunlight and open second growth where much of undergrowth has been cut out.

Resident.

Feeds on insects, including cockroaches (Blattoidea), grasshoppers (Acrididae) and winged ants (Formicidae); also on spiders and centipedes (Chilopoda). Closely associated partners, individuals, or family groups forage mostly 0–3 m above ground, occasionally to 10 m, mostly in dense tangles of vegetation with abundant horizontal and inclined perches near ground, particularly around treefalls and regenerating light-gaps, as well as in brushy thickets at forest edge; less frequently in vine tangles suspended from larger trees. Routinely follows swarms of army ants (particularly Eciton burchelli) in pursuit of flushed arthropods; in absence of sympatric species of “professional” ant-following thamnophilids, is often the behaviourally and numerically dominant bird attending such swarms, with concentrations of up to 18 individuals reported at single swarm; does not follow ants into sunny clearings, but will follow them across logging roads and through both dense and open vegetation for several hours. Normal posture c. 20 degrees above horizontal, tail usually held in line with plane of body; regularly pounds tail downwards emphatically in c. 30-degree arc, then slowly raises it, sometimes slightly above horizontal, before pounding it down again. Clings laterally to slender vertical stems, with lower leg extended and upper leg flexed, but spends relatively little time on such perches; instead, takes mostly horizontal or inclined perches 1–2 cm in diameter near ground. Most common attack manoeuvre a quick pounce from low perch to ground to seize prey fleeing the ants, followed by quick jump back up to another low perch; sometimes remains on ground for several seconds, tossing leaves with its bill to uncover prey hiding in litter; prey taken above ground, from stems, vines, branches or leaves, usually gleaned by reaching up, out or down, or by short jump-gleans, only occasionally by sallies to foliage or branches. Like congeners (and unlike most obligate ant-followers), tends to hop from perch to perch frequently and to spend more time hopping on ground; when swarms attended by numerous fire-eyes and competition for preferred sites intense, subordinate individuals (mostly younger birds) are displaced horizontally to periphery of swarm, or vertically to higher perches above ants, hitching up along woody vines to heights of 8–10 m before fluttering back down. Adults seen to feed seemingly independent juveniles at swarms. Away from ants, hops rapidly through tangles of horizontal branches, perch-gleaning most prey directly from leaf, stem, vine and branch surfaces by reaching up, out or down with quick stabs of the bill, or by short jump-gleans; also commonly drops to ground to take prey from leaf litter. Sometimes briefly joins mixed-species groups of other insectivores, often including Moustached Wren (Pheugopedius genibarbis).

Male loudsong an evenly paced, medium-length series (e.g. 8 notes, 2 seconds), notes longer than intervals, at same pitch or dropping slightly, first note often shorter or less intense; female loudsong like male’s but drops more in pitch. Common calls include long squeaky note, abrupt sputter, and musical rattle falling in pitch.

Little known. In Bahia (Santo Amaro), specimen with developed gonads in Oct and several nearly independent fledglings in late Nov; in Sergipe, adults paired but relatively non-vocal and multiple independent immatures observed at ant swarms in Jan, indicating that breeding season there already over. Eggs said to resemble those of P. leuconota and Taraba major. Several records in Bahia of only one parent (either sex) feeding a juvenile or leading it away from observer.

ENDANGERED. Previously considered Critically Endangered. Restricted-range species: present in Atlantic Forest Lowlands EBA. Minute range of perhaps no more than 9 km², within which virtually all forest being rapidly cleared for agriculture, particularly for plantations of oil palms (Elaeis guineensis) and sugar-cane production. Capable of persisting for periods in degraded second-growth woodlots, but even these are being rapidly cleared. Species could not be located in 1996 at several sites near Santo Amaro where known to be present in 1980s. In Sergipe, population recently discovered in a humid forest fragment near Crasto, where at least 6 pairs in 1994, and estimated 18 individuals attending large army-ant swarm in Jan 2002; this discovery extended the species’ known range N by c. 175 km, and suggests that remaining forests S to vicinity of Salvador and Santo Amaro may also hold populations. Immediate protection of the Crasto site should be considered a conservation priority. Surveys of all forest fragments between Crasto and Salvador are also urgently needed in order better to assess general population levels and to detect any additional strongholds that should be preserved.