Fr: Grallaire des Andes
Ang: Stripe-headed Antpitta
All: Strichelkopf-Ameisenpitta
Esp: Tororoí Andino
Ita: Pitta formichiera testastriata
Nd: Streepkopmierpitta
Sd: polylepismyrpitta
Photographers:
Roger Ahlman
Pbase Galleries Peru and Ecuador
Didier Buysse
Vision d’Oiseaux
Ken Havard
My Bird Gallery & Flickr gallery 1 & Flickr gallery 2
William Price
PBase-tereksandpiper & Flickr William Price
Simon Tan
PBase Bird galleries
Text by Nicole Bouglouan
Sources:
HANDBOOK OF THE BIRDS OF THE WORLD Vol 8 By Josep del Hoyo-Andrew Elliott-David Christie - Lynx Edicions - ISBN: 8487334504
BIRDS OF SOUTH AMERICA – Passerines - by Robert S. Ridgely and Guy Tudor – HELM Field Guides – ISBN: 9781408113424
BIRDS OF PERU by Thomas S. Schulenberg, Douglas F. Stotz, Daniel F. Lane, John P. O’Neill, Theodore A. Parker III – Princeton University Press 2007- ISBN: 978-0-691-13023-1
Arthur Grosset's Birds (Arthur Grosset)
The breeding biology of Grallaria and Grallaricula antpittas
Antpitta’s: the secretive birds of the South-American forest!
Fatbirder - Grallariidae – Antpittas
CREAGUS@Monterey Bay (Don Roberson)
Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia
Wikipedia, la enciclopedia libre
Stripe-headed Antpitta
Grallaria andicolus
Passeriformes Order – Grallariidae Family
INTRODUCTION:
The Stripe-headed Antpitta is found in the Andes of Peru and NW Bolivia, where it frequents Polylepis groves and scrubby woodlands below the treeline. It is usually present at high elevation, between 3,500 and 4,600 metres, and locally around 3,000 metres. Two subspecies share the range.
This species is mainly terrestrial and forages on the ground and in low branches where it can find insects, caterpillars and other invertebrates.
The breeding biology of the Stripe-headed Antpitta is poorly known, but an observation in Peru in November 2011, allowed the nest-site and the nest itself to be described. The structure is a bulky cup made of moss and twigs, and lined with softer material. It was built in Polylepis tree in a well-forested area. Both adults where observed feeding the chicks.
The Stripe-headed Antpitta is described as locally common throughout the range, and the numbers are suspected to be stable. The species is not currently globally threatened.
DESCRIPTION OF THE BIRD:
Biometrics:
Length: 16-16,5 cm
Weight: M: 48-60 g – F: 51-66 g
The Stripe-headed Antpitta of nominate race G.a. andicolus is typically plump-bodied with short tail and long tarsi.
On the upperparts, back and rump are greyish-olive/olive-brown. Nape and back are often streaked black and white or whitish buff. Some individuals may show only buff shaft streaks. The short tail is olive-brown/dull reddish-brown.
On the upperwing, the flight-feathers are dusky with dull rufous edges to primaries. The wing-coverts are olive-brown with small buff spots.
On the underparts, the sides of the head, neck and throat are streaked whitish, buff and blackish, but the centre of the throat is uniformly whitish or buff. The breast sides are olive-brown with white streaks. On the whitish breast, the feathers are edged black and buff, involving conspicuous scaled pattern. Some individuals show incomplete dusky feather edges on both flanks and belly, creating a spotted appearance (not scaled). The centre of the belly is less marked.
On the head, the crown is blackish, but the rear crown is mostly brown/olive-brown with white or buff streaks. The loral spot is whitish-buff and extends above the eye, the latter being surrounded by white eyering.
The bill is black.
The eyes are brown.
Legs and feet are blue-grey.
Male and female are similar.
The immature resembles adult, but the tips of both wing-coverts and secondaries are mottled, and pointed tail feathers show pale tips.
The juvenile is spotted or barred throughout the body.
SUBSPECIES AND RANGE:
The Stripe-headed Antpitta has two subspecies.
G.a. andicolus (described above) is present in most of the range. It occurs in the Andes of Peru, S locally to Ayacucho, and in Central Andes (southern Amazonas, S to Apurimac).
G.a. punensis is found in the Andes of S Peru (Cusco and Puno), and extreme NW Bolivia (W La Paz).
This race resembles nominate, but it has blacker crown with orange-buff streaks. Lores and sides of face are buffier. On the upperparts, the back is unstreaked.
(Some individuals of the nominate race may have sometimes reduced back streaking).
HABITAT:
The Stripe-headed Antpitta is often found in Polylepis forest and scrubby woodland. It also frequents the dwarf forest from 3,000 to 4,600 metres of elevation.
The species can also be found in the open and in rocky terrain, and it may wander into surrounding areas of bunch grass, sometimes far from trees. In the E Andes, it may occur at the edges of the humid treeline forest and in forest patches.
CALLS AND SONGS: SOUNDS BY XENO-CANTO
Unlike other antpittas, the song of the Stripe-headed Antpitta is weak and described as a rolling series of wheezy notes, first descending and then, ascending and accelerating. The last note sometimes drawn out “ree-ree…ree eeee”
It also resembles a low, grinding, froglike trill rising and falling. There is often an introductory stutter described as “gr-grrrEEEEErrrr”. We can also hear a thin, mewed “p’yuk”.
The subspecies G.a. punensis has different call consisting of one or two usually mellower notes.
BEHAVIOUR IN THE WILD:
The Stripe-headed Antpitta is a terrestrial species. It forages on the ground and by climbering low branches. It often hops and flicks its wings before to stand motionless, waiting for prey such as caterpillars and other invertebrates including insects, larvae and moths.
The long legs are adapted to this foraging behaviour and it often feeds alone or in pairs. It is often seen hopping on the ground inside patches of woodlands, but it sometimes emerges onto the adjacent grassy areas.
The breeding behaviour of this species is poorly known. Antpittas are very secretive birds, and their courtship displays are unknown.
However, from an observation, the nest of the Stripe-headed Antpitta could be described. It is a bulky, open cup made of moss and twigs, with a soft lining inside. It is often built in Polylepis tree species in well forested area. Both parents share the nesting duties.
The Stripe-headed Antpitta is presumably resident.
It is a poor flier and does not perform long flights, as its small wings make it able to fly only over short distances. It is mainly a terrestrial bird, living and foraging mainly on the ground, thanks to the long legs very adapted to hop across the forest floor.
REPRODUCTION OF THIS SPECIES:
The breeding biology of the Stripe-headed Antpitta is very poorly known. But an observation in Abra Malaga, Cuzco region, Peru (3,300-4,400 metres of elevation) in November 2011, allowed to describe some nests.
The nests were built in Polylepis tree species in well forested areas. They were placed about 1-1,8 metres above the ground. They were supported by small branches, or sometimes by two larger horizontal branches.
The nest of the Stripe-headed Antpitta is a bulky, open cup, mainly composed of moss with a sparse lining of grass fibres and thin, soft rootlets. Some short sticks may be incorporated into the outer part of the mossy cup, but they are also used to form a loose platform below the cup.
The nesting site appears to be reused in several following seasons. In this case, the construction of the new nest is made on top of an old one.
The clutch apparently contains 2-3 pale blue eggs with sparse brown spots. The duration of the incubation is unknown.
In another nest, two chicks were found. They had pink skin and sparse greyish down, and the mouth lining was bright orange. Both adults were feeding the chicks.
Fledglings are reported in February-March, while juveniles and immatures can be seen in December-May. The breeding season varies depending on the range.
For more information: SORA - THE NEST, EGG, AND NESTLING OF THE STRIPE-HEADED ANTPITTA (GRALLARIA ANDICOLUS) IN SOUTHERN PERU
PROTECTION / THREATS / STATUS:
The Stripe-headed Antpitta is described as “usually local in fairly low numbers, but the species is locally common”.
It might be affected by the decrease of its primary habitat (Polylepis woodland) but this species is relatively tolerant of habitat disturbance.
The size of the population is unknown, but it is suspected to be stable.
The Stripe-headed Antpitta is currently evaluated as Least Concern.
