Schwartz's Antthrush

About the Schwartz's Antthrush

Schwartz's antthrush (Chamaeza turdina), also known as the scalloped antthrush, is a species of bird in the family Formicariidae. It is found in Colombia and Venezuela. Schwartz's antthrush was long treated as a subspecies of the rufous-tailed antthrush (C. ruficauda). Their differences were not fully recognized until 1992 when their songs were analyzed in detail.

Schwartz's antthrush has two subspecies, the nominate C. t. turdina (Cabanis & Heine, 1860) and C. t. chionogaster (Hellmayr, 1906). The species' English name honors ornithologist Paul A. Schwartz, who was the first to realize how strikingly different its song sounds compared to that of the rufous-tailed antthrush.

Schwartz's antthrush is 19 to 19.5 cm (7.5 to 7.7 in) long. The sexes are alike. Adults of the nominate subspecies have a slightly rufescent olive-brown crown. They have white lores, a short white streak through their eye, and a whitish streak on the side of their neck. Their upperparts and wings are mostly medium olive-brown with a slightly more rufescent rump. Their tail is dusky brown. Their throat is white with small blackish spots that look like a stripe. Their... Wikipedia →