Rhegmatorhina cristata
The Chestnut-crested Antbird (Rhegmatorhina cristata) is a striking member of the antbird family Thamnophilidae, renowned for its obligate association with army ant swarms. Measuring approximately 14-15 cm (5.5-6 inches) in length and weighing around 25-30 grams, both sexes exhibit a rich, uniform chestnut plumage, offset dramatically by a bright, bare, cobalt-blue orbital patch that encircles the eye. A prominent, shaggy chestnut crest, which can be raised or lowered, gives the species its d...
Found exclusively in the understory of humid lowland evergreen rainforests, typically below 500 meters (1,640 feet) elevation. It prefers primary forest and mature secondary growth with dense vegetation.
Primarily insectivorous, feeding on a wide variety of arthropods, including spiders, cockroaches, crickets, and beetles, that are flushed from the forest floor by army ant swarms. Occasionally takes small lizards or frogs.
The Chestnut-crested Antbird is a diurnal, obligate army-ant follower, spending a significant portion of its day shadowing *Eciton burchellii* and other army ant species. It forages by perching low to the ground, typically within 1-2 meters, watching for insects and other invertebrates flushed by...
The Chestnut-crested Antbird is an endemic resident of the Western Amazon basin. Its distribution spans southeastern Colombia, eastern Ecuador, northeastern Peru, and western Brazil, generally east of the Andes and west of the Rio Negro and lower Rio Madeira. Specifically, it can be found in the ...
Least Concern
- The Chestnut-crested Antbird is considered an 'obligate' army-ant follower, meaning it relies almost entirely on army ants to flush its prey. Without ants, it would struggle to find food. - Its bright, bare blue orbital skin around the eye is one of the most striking features in the Amazonian u...