Gnateater
Encyclopedia
The gnateaters are a bird
family
, Conopophagidae, consisting of ten small passerine
species
in two genera
, which occur in South
and Central America
. The family was formerly restricted to the gnateater genus Conopophaga; analysis of mtDNA cytochrome b
and NADH dehydrogenase
subunit
2 sequence
s (Rice 2005a,b) indicates that the "antpittas" of the genus Pittasoma also belong in this family. The association between this genus and Conopophaga is also supported by traits in their natural history, morphology
, and vocalizations (Rice, 2005a). The members of this family are very closely related to the antbird
s and less closely to the antpittas and tapaculo
s. Due to their remote and dim habitat, gnateaters are a little-studied and poorly known family of birds, though they are often sought after by birdwatchers
.
Gnateaters are birds of the forest understory, bamboo
stands, and the forest floor. The members of the genus Conopophaga are found in the Amazon
and Orinoco basins, east and central Andean slopes, Atlantic Forest, and nearby regions, while the members of the genus Pittasoma are found in the Chocó, and Panama
and Costa Rica
. Some species live in impenetrable thickets; others live in more open forest. Most are entirely restricted to humid habitats, but several species extend into drier regions in eastern Brazil
. While the members of the genus Conopophaga always are found near the forest floor, seldom rising more than 1.5 m above the ground, they also seldom travel or spend much time on the ground (though they do feed there; see diet). The members of the genus Pittasoma are more commonly seen hopping around on the ground.
They are round, short-tailed, and long-legged birds, about 12–19 cm (5–7½ inches) in length, with Pittasoma being larger than Conopophaga. They are quite upright when standing. All species are sexually dimorphic, although the extent of this varies greatly. Most Conopophaga species have a white tuft behind the eye.
insects directly from the foliage, trunks, and branches of low vegetation. Typical prey items include spider
s, caterpillar
s, insect larvae, grasshopper
s and beetle
s; individuals of some species have also been observed eating fruit and in one case a frog
. Very little information is available on the diet of the two Pittasoma, but they are presumably also insectivorous, and have been recorded following army ants swarms
.
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...
family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
, Conopophagidae, consisting of ten small passerine
Passerine
A passerine is a bird of the order Passeriformes, which includes more than half of all bird species. Sometimes known as perching birds or, less accurately, as songbirds, the passerines form one of the most diverse terrestrial vertebrate orders: with over 5,000 identified species, it has roughly...
species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
in two genera
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
, which occur in South
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
and Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
. The family was formerly restricted to the gnateater genus Conopophaga; analysis of mtDNA cytochrome b
Cytochrome b
Cytochrome b/b6 is the main subunit of transmembrane cytochrome bc1 and b6f complexes. In addition, it commonly refers to a region of mtDNA used for population genetics and phylogenetics.- Function :...
and NADH dehydrogenase
NADH dehydrogenase
NADH dehydrogenase is an enzyme located in the inner mitochondrial membrane that catalyzes the transfer of electrons from NADH to coenzyme Q...
subunit
Protein subunit
In structural biology, a protein subunit or subunit protein is a single protein molecule that assembles with other protein molecules to form a protein complex: a multimeric or oligomeric protein. Many naturally occurring proteins and enzymes are multimeric...
2 sequence
DNA sequence
The sequence or primary structure of a nucleic acid is the composition of atoms that make up the nucleic acid and the chemical bonds that bond those atoms. Because nucleic acids, such as DNA and RNA, are unbranched polymers, this specification is equivalent to specifying the sequence of...
s (Rice 2005a,b) indicates that the "antpittas" of the genus Pittasoma also belong in this family. The association between this genus and Conopophaga is also supported by traits in their natural history, morphology
Morphology (biology)
In biology, morphology is a branch of bioscience dealing with the study of the form and structure of organisms and their specific structural features....
, and vocalizations (Rice, 2005a). The members of this family are very closely related to the antbird
Antbird
The antbirds are a large family, Thamnophilidae, of passerine birds found across subtropical and tropical Central and South America, from Mexico to Argentina. There are more than 200 species, known variously as antshrikes, antwrens, antvireos, fire-eyes, bare-eyes and bushbirds...
s and less closely to the antpittas and tapaculo
Tapaculo
The tapaculos are a group of small suboscine passeriform birds with numerous species, found mainly in South America and with the highest diversity in the Andean regions...
s. Due to their remote and dim habitat, gnateaters are a little-studied and poorly known family of birds, though they are often sought after by birdwatchers
Birdwatching
Birdwatching or birding is the observation of birds as a recreational activity. It can be done with the naked eye, through a visual enhancement device like binoculars and telescopes, or by listening for bird sounds. Birding often involves a significant auditory component, as many bird species are...
.
Habitat and range
Bamboo
Bamboo is a group of perennial evergreens in the true grass family Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae, tribe Bambuseae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family....
stands, and the forest floor. The members of the genus Conopophaga are found in the Amazon
Amazon Basin
The Amazon Basin is the part of South America drained by the Amazon River and its tributaries that drains an area of about , or roughly 40 percent of South America. The basin is located in the countries of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, and Venezuela...
and Orinoco basins, east and central Andean slopes, Atlantic Forest, and nearby regions, while the members of the genus Pittasoma are found in the Chocó, and Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
and Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
. Some species live in impenetrable thickets; others live in more open forest. Most are entirely restricted to humid habitats, but several species extend into drier regions in eastern 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...
. While the members of the genus Conopophaga always are found near the forest floor, seldom rising more than 1.5 m above the ground, they also seldom travel or spend much time on the ground (though they do feed there; see diet). The members of the genus Pittasoma are more commonly seen hopping around on the ground.
They are round, short-tailed, and long-legged birds, about 12–19 cm (5–7½ inches) in length, with Pittasoma being larger than Conopophaga. They are quite upright when standing. All species are sexually dimorphic, although the extent of this varies greatly. Most Conopophaga species have a white tuft behind the eye.
Diet
Gnateaters are insectivorous as the group name implies. The members of the genus Conopophaga feed mostly using two methods; one is to perch above the forest floor until prey is spotted, then lunge down to the ground to snatch it; having landed on the ground to snatch a prey item it will not remain on the forest floor for more than a couple of seconds. The second method used is to gleanGleaning (birds)
Gleaning is a term for a feeding strategy by birds in which they catch invertebrate prey, mainly arthropods, by plucking them from foliage or the ground, from crevices such as rock faces and under the eaves of houses, or even, as in the case of ticks and lice, from living animals. This behavior is...
insects directly from the foliage, trunks, and branches of low vegetation. Typical prey items include spider
Spider
Spiders are air-breathing arthropods that have eight legs, and chelicerae with fangs that inject venom. They are the largest order of arachnids and rank seventh in total species diversity among all other groups of organisms...
s, caterpillar
Caterpillar
Caterpillars are the larval form of members of the order Lepidoptera . They are mostly herbivorous in food habit, although some species are insectivorous. Caterpillars are voracious feeders and many of them are considered to be pests in agriculture...
s, insect larvae, grasshopper
Grasshopper
The grasshopper is an insect of the suborder Caelifera in the order Orthoptera. To distinguish it from bush crickets or katydids, it is sometimes referred to as the short-horned grasshopper...
s and beetle
Beetle
Coleoptera is an order of insects commonly called beetles. The word "coleoptera" is from the Greek , koleos, "sheath"; and , pteron, "wing", thus "sheathed wing". Coleoptera contains more species than any other order, constituting almost 25% of all known life-forms...
s; individuals of some species have also been observed eating fruit and in one case a frog
Frog
Frogs are amphibians in the order Anura , formerly referred to as Salientia . Most frogs are characterized by a short body, webbed digits , protruding eyes and the absence of a tail...
. Very little information is available on the diet of the two Pittasoma, but they are presumably also insectivorous, and have been recorded following army ants swarms
Ant-follower
Ant-followers are birds that feed by following swarms of army ants and take prey flushed by those ants. The best known ant-followers are 18 species of antbird in the family Thamnophilidae, but other families of birds may follow ants including thrushes, chats, ant-tanagers, cuckoos, and...
.
Species list
Family Conopophagidae:- Genus ConopophagaConopophagaConopophaga is a genus of birds in the gnateater family. Its members are found in forest and woodland in South America.-Habitat and range:...
- Rufous GnateaterRufous GnateaterThe 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...
, Conopophaga lineata - Chestnut-bellied Gnateater, Conopophaga aurita
- Hooded GnateaterHooded GnateaterThe Hooded Gnateater is a species of bird in the Conopophagidae family.It is endemic to Brazil.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.-References:...
, Conopophaga roberti - Ash-throated GnateaterAsh-throated GnateaterThe Ash-throated Gnateater is a species of bird in the Conopophagidae family.It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, and Peru.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.-References:...
, Conopophaga peruviana - Slaty GnateaterSlaty GnateaterThe Slaty Gnateater is a species of bird in the Conopophagidae family.It is found in Bolivia and Peru.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montanes.-References:...
, Conopophaga ardesiaca - Chestnut-crowned GnateaterChestnut-crowned GnateaterThe Chestnut-crowned Gnateater is a species of bird in the Conopophagidae family.It is found in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.-References:...
, Conopophaga castaneiceps - Black-cheeked GnateaterBlack-cheeked GnateaterThe Black-cheeked Gnateater 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.-Taxonomy:...
, Conopophaga melanops - Black-bellied GnateaterBlack-bellied GnateaterThe Black-bellied Gnateater is a species of bird in the Conopophagidae family, the gnateaters.It is found in the southern Amazon Basin of Brazil and northwest Bolivia....
, Conopophaga melanogaster
- Rufous Gnateater
- Genus PittasomaPittasomaPittasoma is a genus of birds in the gnateater family. Its two members breed in subtropical or tropical moist forest in South and Central America, specifically the Chocó, and Panama and Costa Rica...
- Black-crowned AntpittaBlack-crowned AntpittaThe Black-crowned Antpitta or Black-crowned Gnatpitta is a species of bird in the gnateater family.It is found in Colombia, Costa Rica, and Panama.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests....
, Pittasoma michleri - Rufous-crowned AntpittaRufous-crowned AntpittaThe Rufous-crowned Antpitta or Rufous-crowned Gnatpitta is a species of bird in the gnateater family.It is found in Colombia and Ecuador.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests....
, Pittasoma rufopileatum
- Black-crowned Antpitta
External links
- Gnateater videos, photos and sounds on the Internet Bird Collection