Rhegmatorhina gymnops
The Bare-eyed Antbird (*Rhegmatorhina gymnops*) is a striking, medium-sized passerine, measuring approximately 13-14.5 cm (5.1-5.7 inches) in length, endemic to specific regions of the western Amazon. Its most distinctive and eponymous feature is the prominent, bare blue-gray skin encircling a dark eye, creating a stark contrast against its plumage. Males typically sport dark brown upperparts, a vivid rufous crown and nape, and a black throat and breast that transitions into a dark belly. Fem...
Found exclusively in undisturbed lowland terra firme rainforest, typically below 300 meters, often near rivers and streams.
Primarily consumes insects and other arthropods, especially those flushed from the forest floor by army ant swarms.
The Bare-eyed Antbird is a quintessential diurnal specialist, almost exclusively found in association with raiding swarms of army ants, particularly *Eciton burchellii*. These birds perch low, typically within 1-2 meters of the forest floor, constantly scanning for arthropods flushed by the advan...
The Bare-eyed Antbird is a resident species, primarily endemic to the western Amazon basin of Brazil, with a small, isolated population also recorded in extreme northeastern Peru. In Brazil, its distribution is largely confined to the region south of the Amazon River, bounded by the Juruá River t...
Least Concern
- The Bare-eyed Antbird is an obligate ant-follower, meaning it relies almost entirely on army ant swarms to flush out its prey. - Its striking bare blue-gray eye-ring is a signature feature shared only by four other species in its genus, *Rhegmatorhina*. - Despite its name, the Bare-eyed Antbird...