Plumbeous Antbird Myrmelastes hyperythrus Scientific name definitions

Restricted to western Amazonia, the monotypic Plumbeous Antbird is found from southern Colombia south to northern Bolivia, and east to southwest Brazil. The species occurs in the understory and on the ground of lowland forests, and is known from both seasonally flooded forests, especially those with a more open understory and at the margin of oxbow lakes, and transitional areas. Males are relatively large-bodied and predominantly dark slate-gray, with three rows of clear but relatively small white wing-spots, and a patch of blue orbital skin around the eye. Within this group of Myrmeciza antbirds, females are rather more distinctive than their partners, and in the present instance the female Plumbeous Antbird is bright rufous below, while the rest of the bird’s plumage echoes that of the male. The species is generally fairly common, but most easily located by virtue of its distinctive voice, and has been recorded up to 800 m, but is generally more abundant at lower elevations.

S Colombia (W Caquetá), NE Ecuador (Sucumbíos, Orellana), E Peru (Loreto S to Madre de Dios), SW Amazonian Brazil (E to R Purus drainage) and NW Bolivia (Pando, N La Paz, Beni).

Loudsong a long (e.g. 3·5 seconds) rattling trill that accelerates throughout, and gains and then declines in intensity. Calls include deep, hollow, abrupt (e.g. 0·05 seconds) “whick”, singly or, more often, repeated rapidly in doublets in which first note more intense; also a triplet of similar-quality notes, and deep raspy rattles in which first note longer and more intense.