Black-cheeked Gnateater
Encyclopedia
The Black-cheeked Gnateater (Conopophaga melanops) is a species of bird
in the family Conopophagidae endemic to Brazil
. The male is distinguished by its orange crown, black face and white throat, while the female has brown plumage.
described the Black-cheeked Gnateater in 1818, giving it the species name melanops from the Ancient Greek
words melas "black" and ops "face".
, as the male has distinctive coloured plumage and the female is a more overall brown in color. The male has a black face and cheeks with an contrasting orange crown and white throat. The upperparts are brownish and the underparts pale grey, the belly feathers more white and the flanks tending to buff. The female is more brown above with a white eyebrow and buff patch on the wings. It resembles the Rufous Gnateater
.
to Santa Catarina
. Its natural habitat
is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest
s, where it is a bird of the understory and forest floor. Its range along the eastern coastal areas of Brazil has been fragmented by destruction of habitat. Despite the showy plumage, this and other gnateaters are furtive and not often seen.
of two eggs is laid.
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
in the family Conopophagidae endemic to Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. The male is distinguished by its orange crown, black face and white throat, while the female has brown plumage.
Taxonomy
French naturalist Louis Jean Pierre VieillotLouis Jean Pierre Vieillot
Louis Jean Pierre Vieillot was a French ornithologist.Vieillot described a large number of birds for the first time, especially those he encountered during the time he spent in the West Indies and North America, and 26 genera established by him are still in use...
described the Black-cheeked Gnateater in 1818, giving it the species name melanops from the Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek is the stage of the Greek language in the periods spanning the times c. 9th–6th centuries BC, , c. 5th–4th centuries BC , and the c. 3rd century BC – 6th century AD of ancient Greece and the ancient world; being predated in the 2nd millennium BC by Mycenaean Greek...
words melas "black" and ops "face".
Description
Measuring 11.5 cm (4.5 in), the Black-cheeked Gnateater is a small round bird with a short tail. It exhibits sexual dimorphismSexual dimorphism
Sexual dimorphism is a phenotypic difference between males and females of the same species. Examples of such differences include differences in morphology, ornamentation, and behavior.-Examples:-Ornamentation / coloration:...
, as the male has distinctive coloured plumage and the female is a more overall brown in color. The male has a black face and cheeks with an contrasting orange crown and white throat. The upperparts are brownish and the underparts pale grey, the belly feathers more white and the flanks tending to buff. The female is more brown above with a white eyebrow and buff patch on the wings. It resembles the Rufous Gnateater
Rufous Gnateater
The Rufous Gnateater is a passerine bird of the gnateater family, Conopophagidae. It is found in forest understory and bushes in eastern Brazil from Rio Grande do Sul north to Ceará. Its range also extends into eastern Paraguay and north-eastern Argentina and it has recently been recorded in Uruguay...
.
Distribution and habitat
The Black-cheeked Gnateater is found in eastern Brazil, from ParaíbaParaíba
Paraíba Paraíba Paraíba (Tupi: pa'ra a'íba: "bad to navigation"; Brazilian Portuguese pronunciation: is a state of Brazil. It is located in the Brazilian Northeast, and is bordered by Rio Grande do Norte to the north, Ceará to the west, Pernambuco to the south and the Atlantic Ocean to the east...
to Santa Catarina
Santa Catarina (state)
Santa Catarina is a state in southern Brazil with one of the highest standards of living in Latin America. Its capital is Florianópolis, which mostly lies on the Santa Catarina Island. Neighbouring states are Rio Grande do Sul to the south and Paraná to the north. It is bounded on the east by...
. Its natural habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
s, where it is a bird of the understory and forest floor. Its range along the eastern coastal areas of Brazil has been fragmented by destruction of habitat. Despite the showy plumage, this and other gnateaters are furtive and not often seen.
Behaviour
The Black-cheeked Gnateater is monogamous and territorial, the average size for a territory measured at 2.94 hectares. Breeding takes place over three months and the platform-like nest is constructed on branches or a palm leaf near the ground. A clutchClutch (eggs)
A clutch of eggs refers to all the eggs produced by birds or reptiles, often at a single time, particularly those laid in a nest.In birds, destruction of a clutch by predators, , results in double-clutching...
of two eggs is laid.
External links
- Black-cheeked Gnateater videos on the Internet Bird Collection
- Black-cheeked Gnateater photo gallery VIREO