Pernambuco Foliage-gleaner Automolus lammi Scientific name definitions

Confined to the Pernambuco Center of Endemism (hence its English name), this foliage-gleaner was, until very recently, considered to be a subspecies of the much more widespread and abundant White-eyed Foliage-gleaner (Automolus leucophthalmus). Recognition as a separate species has focused on its strikingly divergent vocal characters, as its morphology is very similar to that of its southern counterpart. Given that loss of the ‘new’ species’ Atlantic Forest habitat has been virtually catastrophic north of the Rio Sao Francisco, to which region this foliage-gleaner is confined, it is probably already globally threatened. In an interesting coincidence, the Pernambuco Foliage-gleaner was described as a subspecies by John Todd Zimmer, and raised to species status by Kevin J. Zimmer 60 years later.

19–20 cm. Very similar to the formerly conspecific <em>A. leucophthalmus</em> , but described as having upperparts darker and browner, less rufescent, throat tinged pale yellow and more sharply demarcated from breast, breast more creamy olive-buff, sides browner, less rufescent, flanks and undertail-coverts less tawny, bill darker, and wing longer (some overlap); however, see also Taxonomy (above). Sexes alike. Juvenile undescribed (?).

E Brazil (Paraíba, Pernambuco, Alagoas and Sergipe).

Tropical lowland and foothill evergreen forest, and taller second-growth woodland, to 550 m.

No information on diet, other than general observations of birds taking unidentified arthropods. Usually observed in mixed-species flocks, although their composition has not been described; mainly in understorey, occasionally to midstorey. Gleans and pulls arthropods from dead leaves and debris (> 75% of observations in one study) (2 Zimmer, K.J. (2008). The White-eyed Foliage-gleaner (Furnariidae: Automolus) is two species. Wilson J. Orn.. 120(1): 10–25. Close ), mainly in dense undergrowth, up to 12 m above ground.

Song a strident series of 2–11 closely spaced (3–4/second), frequency-modulated notes or doublets, each with a particularly harsh, grating quality, but each doublet comprised a harsh note and a sharp thin note; the whole effect is slower and more grating than that of A. leucophthalmus. Call more liquid that of A. leucophthalmus, comprising loud, “weck” notes (number individually variable, 8–20), the first several of which are closely and evenly spaced, followed by a slight gap then another shorter group of notes, before tailing off with 2+ widely spaced individual notes that are longer and more drawn-out; voice more like that of race paraensis of A. infuscatus. Also gives single-noted “kwek” and double-noted “kwek-kwaah” calls more or less identical to those of A. leucophthalmus.

ENDANGERED. Restricted-range species: almost confined to the Atlantic slope of Alagoas and Pernambuco Endemic Bird Area, but also ranges S to Sergipe and N to Paraíba, where it is arguably most abundant (e.g. at Caetés Ecological Station), and is known from a total of 22 localities (3 Pereira, G. A., S. M. Dantas, L. F. Silveira, S. A. Roda, C. Albano, F. A. Sonntag, S. Leal, M. C. Periquito, G. B. Malacco, and A. C. Lees (2014). Status of the globally threatened forest birds of northeast Brazil. Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia 54:177–194. Close ). Overall range estimated at just 80,600 km² and population at fewer than 2500 mature individuals#R. It occurs in at least eight areas with official protection (4 Roda, S.A. (2008). Automolus leucophthalmus lammi Zimmer, 1947. Pp. 564–565 in:. Close ), including Murici Ecological Reserve and Pedra Talhada State Park (both in Alagoas), Dois Irmãos State Park (Pernambuco) and RPPN Engenho Gargaú (Paraíba). Apparently declining in Murici (Alagoas) and Estancia (Sergipe), with no recent records from the Jaqueira Reserve (Pernambuco). Considered Endangered at the national level in Brazil (5 Silveira, L. F., and F. C. Straube (2008). Aves. Pp. 378–679 in:. Close , 6 MMA (2014). Lista Nacional Oficial de Espécies da Fauna Ameaçadas de Extinção. Portaria No 444, de 17 de dezembro de 2014. Diário Oficial da União - Seção 1. Nº 245, quinta-feira, 18 de dezembro de 2014. Close ).