Gymnopithys bicolor
The Bicolored Antbird (*Gymnopithys bicolor*) is a striking passerine renowned for its obligate association with army ant swarms in the Neotropical understory. This medium-sized antbird typically measures around 14-15 cm (5.5-6 inches) in length and weighs between 25-30 grams. Males are characterized by a rich rufous-chestnut body contrasting sharply with a black head, white throat, and a vivid, large patch of bare, bright blue skin surrounding the eye, which is its most distinctive field mar...
Found primarily in the dense understory of lowland and foothill tropical evergreen forests, favoring areas with a rich leaf litter layer for foraging. It typically inhabits elevations from sea level up to about 1,000-1,200 meters (3,300-3,900 feet).
Primarily insectivorous, feeding on a wide variety of insects, spiders, and other invertebrates that are flushed from the leaf litter by the advancing columns of army ants. Foraging method is almost exclusively gleaning or sallying around active ant swarms.
The Bicolored Antbird is a diurnal species, spending its entire day actively foraging in the forest understory, often at the leading edge of army ant swarms. Its foraging strategy is highly specialized: it perches silently and watches, then darts down with quick sallies or short hops to snatch in...
The Bicolored Antbird has a broad distribution across Central and northern South America, extending from eastern Honduras south through Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama. In South America, its range continues through Colombia and into western Ecuador, with some disjunct populations. Within this e...
Least Concern
- The Bicolored Antbird is an 'obligate ant-follower,' meaning it relies almost entirely on army ant swarms to flush out its prey, unable to sustain itself without them. - Despite its close association, the antbird does not eat the army ants themselves; it only preys on the insects, spiders, and ...