Slaty Bristlefront
Merulaxis ater
Silhouette: Ferran Sayol · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
- FamilyRhinocryptidae (Tapaculos)
- GenusMerulaxis (Bristlefronts)
- SpeciesMerulaxis ater (Slaty Bristlefront)
About the Slaty Bristlefront
The slaty bristlefront (Merulaxis ater) is a member of the Neotropical bird family Rhinocryptidae, the tapaculos. It is endemic to south-east Brazil. The slaty bristlefront and Stresemann's bristlefront (Merulaxis stresemanni) form a superspecies, and the two might actually be one species. It has no subspecies.
The slaty bristlefront is 18.5 cm (7.3 in) long. A male weighed 37.2 g (1.31 oz) and a female 33 g (1.2 oz). The male is mostly dark blue gray. The lower back is dark brown and the flanks, vent, and tail are black. The female is over all shades of brown, lighter on the throat and breast. Both sexes have a crest of short stiff feathers that stand erect at the base of the bill and forehead.
The slaty bristlefront is found only in southeastern Brazil, in a narrow band near the Atlantic coast from Espírito Santo south to Santa Catarina. It might have formerly occurred further north in southern Bahia. The slaty bristlefront is a bird of humid forests in both lowlands and mountains. In a few locations it is found at elevations as low as 100 m (330 ft) but more typically its lower limit is 400 m (1,300... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Slaty Bristlefront in Itatiaia National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Itatiaia National Park
Mouse-colored Tapaculo
Scytalopus speluncae
White-breasted Tapaculo
Eleoscytalopus indigoticus
Rufous-collared Sparrow
Zonotrichia capensis
Saffron Finch
Sicalis flaveola
Golden-crowned Warbler
Basileuterus culicivorus
Rufous-bellied Thrush
Turdus rufiventris
Blue-and-white Swallow
Notiochelidon cyanoleuca
Southern House Wren
Troglodytes musculus
Green-headed Tanager
Tangara seledon
Olivaceous Woodcreeper
Sittasomus griseicapillus
Ruby-crowned Tanager
Tachyphonus coronatus
Sayaca Tanager
Thraupis sayaca
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Itatiaia National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil |
More parks will be added in future updates.
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Slaty Bristlefront in Itatiaia National Park?
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Slaty Bristlefront sighting in Itatiaia National Park, based on 238 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Slaty Bristlefront in Itatiaia National Park?
August has the highest sighting rate for Slaty Bristlefront in Itatiaia National Park in our monthly data.