Stub-tailed Spadebill Platyrinchus cancrominus Scientific name definitions

The Stub-tailed Spadebill is the sole member of its genus that is confined to Middle America, wherein it occurs from southeast Mexico south to northwest Panama, ranging over both the Caribbean and Pacific slopes, and has been recorded to at least 1500 m. It favors the lower strata of humid evergreen forest, sometimes being found in drier forest and gallery woodland, and the species is usually found singly or in pairs, but apparently apart from mixed-species flocks. However, the Stub-tailed Spadebill will, apparently only occasionally, join other bird species in attending army ant swarms in search of insect prey fleeing the swarm. Its habits and ecology appear generally similar to those of other Platyrinchus, and the Stub-tailed Spadebill is generally common to fairly common over large parts of its range.

9–9·5 cm; 9·5–12 g. Male has bold facial pattern created by pale yellow supraloral patch, eyering, auricular patch below eye and arching postocular stripe, contrasting with dark blackish-brown lores, stripe beneath front of eye and patch on rear auriculars (in front of pale postocular stripe); crown and side of head greyish-brown, semi-concealed yellow coronal patch; upperparts olive-brown; wings dusky, feathers with cinnamon-brown edgings; tail small, stubby, brown; throat white, contrasting with tawny-buff or brown breast, pale yellow belly and undertail-coverts; iris dark; bill broad and flat, upper mandible black, lower mandible pale pinkish; legs dull pinkish. Female lacks yellow coronal patch. Juvenile has facial pattern less distinct, yellow coronal patch lacking, browner above with dark feather fringes, fulvous wingbars, pale greyish-buff throat and breast shading to white on belly.

SE Mexico (from S Veracruz, Oaxaca, Tabasco, Chiapas and Yucatán Peninsula) S to Nicaragua and W Costa Rica; recently found also in NW Panama (Bocas del Toro Archipelago).