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DULL-MANTLED ANTBIRD  Sipia laemosticta 14–15cm. Shady dense

understory of humid foothill forest, especially tangled gullies and ravines. Pairs

forage unobtrusively on or near ground, usually well hidden. Note ruby-red

eyes with no blue facial skin, fine white dots on wing coverts; concealed white

back patch flared is display. Cf. Chestnut-backed Antbird of lowlands. Juv.

(plumage held briefly) has brownish eyes, brown wash to head, faint buff

mottling on throat. SOUNDS: Song a slightly rising or overslurred series of

(usually 8–11) high piping to slightly wheezy whistles, typically with a break in

pitch about midway through, pii-pii-pii-piu-piu-piu-piu-piu, 1.5–2 secs. Call a

burry, slightly clipped, downslurred béeu or chreu, singly or in short series. STATUS: Uncommon to fairly

common on Caribbean slope, mainly 300–1000m. (Costa Rica to w. Panama.)

CHESTNUT-BACKED ANTBIRD  Poliocrania (Myrmeciza) exsul 14.5–15.5cm.

Handsome, medium-size antbird of humid forest understory, especially thickets

along streams and at light gaps, adjacent second growth, canebrakes. Usually in

pairs, occasionally attending ant swarms; often dips tail persistently. Note short

tail, gray hood with pale blue facial skin, relatively bright rusty-brown

upperparts; very rarely shows a few pale spots on wing coverts. Juv. plumage

(held briefly) smudgy dull blackish overall. Pacific-slope females brighter rusty

overall. SOUNDS: Song imitated easily, a whistled 2–3-note whi heu or pih peu

peu, recalls Hoffmann’s Antthrush but more lethargic, notes higher, longer,

more downslurred. Calls include a gruff, overslurred reáahh, and in alarm an excited, rippling, slightly

nasal whi-di-dit and chatters to 1 sec or longer, cf. Zeledon’s Antbird. STATUS: Fairly common to common

on both slopes, to 1000m. (Honduras to w. Ecuador.)

ZELEDON’S [IMMACULATE] ANTBIRD  Hafferia (Myrmeciza) zeledoni

18.5–19.5cm. Large, rather long-tailed antbird of humid foothill forest

understory and edge, adjacent second growth. Usually in pairs, foraging low in

dense understory, at times with army ant swarms; often dips tail persistently.

Note size and shape, dark unmarked plumage with conspicuous pale blue facial

skin, voice; white wing bend of male flashes in display, also can be striking in

flight. SOUNDS: Song a slightly descending, steady ringing chant of (usually

8–12) overslurred whistled notes, heu heu..., 4–5 notes/sec; female song slightly

higher and often shorter. Calls include an emphatic sharp week! suggesting a

leaftosser, and an excited, slightly squeaky or nasal rippling chirr-irr-irrt, and longer chatters, mainly

1–2.5 secs; slightly gruffer, less squeaky than chatters of Chestnut-backed Antbird. STATUS: Uncommon

to fairly common on both slopes, mainly 700–1700m on Pacific slope, 500–1700m on Caribbean slope.

(Honduras to w. Ecuador.)

BARE-CROWNED ANTBIRD  Gymnocichla nudiceps 15–16cm. Distinctive,

medium-size antbird of humid lowland forest edge and second growth,

especially swampy Heliconia thickets. Usually in pairs on or near ground, often

attending army ant swarms. Note stocky build, bright blue facial skin (and

crown on adult male); male has distinct white wingbars (cf. larger, long-tailed

Zeledon’s Antbird), white back usually concealed, flared in display; female rusty

brown overall with paler wingbars (indistinct on Pacific-slope birds).

SOUNDS: Song a chant of (usually 8–16) downslurred, slightly nasal whistles,

tcheu tcheu..., often accelerates slightly at the end, 3–4 notes/sec. Calls include

a harsh mewing meéahr, and an abrupt sweik! suggesting a leaftosser. STATUS: Uncommon to scarce and

local on both slopes, to 1200m on Pacific slope, 700m on Caribbean slope. (Guatemala to n. Colombia.)