Birds Guide

The Formicariidae are a family of smallish passerine bird species of subtropical and tropical Central and South America. They are between 10 and 15 cm in length, and are related to the antbirds, Thamnophilidae.

These are forest birds that tend to feed on insects at or near the ground since many are specialist ant eaters. Most are drab in appearance with shades of brown, black, and white being their dominant tones.

They are conventionally divided into two groups. The antthrushes in genera Formicarius and Chamaeza are similar in appearance to the rails. They have sexes alike in plumage, and walk like starlings. The thrush part of the name refers only to the similarity in size to true thrushes.

The antpittas in the genera Pittasoma, Grallaria, Hylopezus, Myrmothera and Grallaricula are also sexually monomorphic; they resemble the true pittas in that they are virtually tailess; they hop like thrushes, and are much easier to hear than see.

They lay two or three eggs in a nest in a tree, both sexes incubating.

Species

• Genus Formicarius
  • Rufous-capped Antthrush, Formicarius colma
  • Black-headed Antthrush, Formicarius nigricapillus
  • Black-faced Antthrush, Formicarius analis
  • Rufous-fronted Antthrush, Formicarius rufifrons
  • Rufous-breasted Antthrush, Formicarius rufipectus
• Genus Chamaeza
  • Striated Antthrush, Chamaeza nobilis
  • Short-tailed Antthrush, Chamaeza campanisona
  • Brazilian Antthrush, Chamaeza ruficauda
  • Schwartz's Antthrush, Chamaeza turdina
  • Such's Antthrush, Chamaeza meruloides
  • Barred Antthrush, Chamaeza mollissima
• Genus Pittasoma
  • Black-crowned Antpitta, Pittasoma michleri
  • Rufous-crowned Antpitta, Pittasoma rufopileatum
• Genus Grallaria
  • Undulated Antpitta, Grallaria squamigera
  • Giant Antpitta, Grallaria gigantea
  • Great Antpitta, Grallaria excelsa
  • Variegated Antpitta, Grallaria varia
  • Scaled Antpitta, Grallaria guatimalensis
  • Moustached Antpitta, Grallaria alleni
  • Táchira Antpitta, Grallaria chthonia
  • Plain-backed Antpitta, Grallaria haplonota
  • Ochre-striped Antpitta, Grallaria dignissima
  • Elusive Antpitta, Grallaria eludens
  • Santa Marta Antpitta, Grallaria bangsi
  • Chestnut-crowned Antpitta, Grallaria ruficapilla
  • Cundinamarca Antpitta, Grallaria kaestneri
  • Watkins' Antpitta, Grallaria watkinsi
  • Stripe-headed Antpitta, Grallaria andicola
  • Bicolored Antpitta, Grallaria rufocinerea
  • Chestnut-naped Antpitta, Grallaria nuchalis
  • Jocotoco Antpitta, Grallaria ridgelyi
  • Pale-billed Antpitta, Grallaria carrikeri
  • Yellow-breasted Antpitta, Grallaria flavotincta
  • White-bellied Antpitta, Grallaria hypoleuca
  • Rusty-tinged Antpitta, Grallaria przewalskii
  • Bay Antpitta, Grallaria capitalis
  • Red-and-white Antpitta, Grallaria erythroleuca
  • White-throated Antpitta, Grallaria albigula
  • Gray-naped Antpitta, Grallaria griseonucha
  • Rufous Antpitta, Grallaria rufula
  • Chestnut Antpitta, Grallaria blakei
  • Rufous-faced Antpitta, Grallaria erythrotis
  • Tawny Antpitta, Grallaria quitensis
  • Brown-banded Antpitta, Grallaria milleri
• Genus Hylopezus
  • Spotted Antpitta, Hylopezus macularius
  • Streak-chested Antpitta, Hylopezus perspicillatus
  • Masked Antpitta, Hylopezus auricularis
  • Fulvous-bellied Antpitta, Hylopezus dives
  • White-lored Antpitta, Hylopezus fulviventris
  • Amazonian Antpitta, Hylopezus berlepschi
  • White-browed Antpitta, Hylopezus ochroleucus
  • Speckle-breasted Antpitta, Hylopezus nattereri
• Genus Myrmothera
  • Thrush-like Antpitta, Myrmothera campanisona
  • Tepui Antpitta, Myrmothera simplex
• Genus Grallaricula
  • Ochre-breasted Antpitta, Grallaricula flavirostris
  • Rusty-breasted Antpitta, Grallaricula ferrugineipectus
  • Scallop-breasted Antpitta, Grallaricula loricata
  • Hooded Antpitta, Grallaricula cucullata
  • Peruvian Antpitta, Grallaricula peruviana
  • Ochre-fronted Antpitta, Grallaricula ochraceifrons
  • Slate-crowned Antpitta, Grallaricula nana
  • Crescent-faced Antpitta Grallaricula lineifrons

External links

• Formicariidae videos on the Internet Bird Collection