Phlegopsis borbae
The Pale-faced Bare-eye (*Phlegopsis borbae*) is a distinctive medium-sized antbird of the family Thamnophilidae, renowned for its striking facial features. Measuring around 17-18 cm (7 inches) in length, this species sports a predominantly dusky brown to blackish plumage, often accented by a small white patch on the wing coverts, which is a key field mark. Its most iconic identifier is the extensive patch of pale, featherless skin surrounding the eye, which can range from whitish to creamy y...
This species inhabits the dense understory of humid, lowland tropical evergreen forests, primarily thriving in terra firme and seasonally flooded varzea forests. It is typically found at elevations below 500 meters, occasionally ranging up to 700 meters above sea level.
The diet of the Pale-faced Bare-eye consists almost exclusively of various invertebrates, including insects and spiders, which it primarily obtains by capturing prey flushed by army ant swarms.
The Pale-faced Bare-eye is a diurnal species, often encountered solitarily or in pairs, frequently as an integral part of an army ant swarm assemblage. It is an obligate ant-follower, strategically perching low, typically within 1-2 meters of the ground, around the moving front of *Eciton burchel...
The Pale-faced Bare-eye is an endemic resident of the western Amazon Basin, with its range spanning parts of Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, and northern Bolivia. In Brazil, it is primarily found in the states of Amazonas, Acre, and Rondônia, extending west into eastern Peru (e.g., Loreto, Ucaya...
Least Concern
- The Pale-faced Bare-eye is one of only a handful of antbird species in the genus *Phlegopsis* distinguished by prominent, featherless skin around its eyes. - It is an "obligate" army ant-follower, meaning it relies almost entirely on the movement of ant swarms to flush out its invertebrate prey...