Habia rubica
The Red-crowned Ant Tanager (Habia rubica) is a captivating neotropical songbird, striking in its sexual dimorphism and often elusive despite its vibrant coloration. Males are a brilliant, deep rosy-red overall, with a slightly darker, often concealed, scarlet-red crown patch that gives the species its name. They possess dusky lores and a slightly contrasting dusky-red or dark flanks. Females, in stark contrast, are olive-brown above and dull yellowish to ochraceous below, sporting a duller o...
Found in the dense understory and mid-story of tropical and subtropical evergreen and semi-deciduous forests, often near ravines or forest edges, from sea level up to 2,000 meters (6,500 ft) elevation.
Primarily insectivorous, feeding on a wide variety of arthropods flushed by army ants or gleaned from foliage; they also consume small fruits and berries.
Red-crowned Ant Tanagers are primarily diurnal, typically found foraging in pairs or small family groups, often keeping to the dense undergrowth which makes them surprisingly difficult to spot despite their bright plumage. A hallmark behavior is their habit of following army ant swarms (e.g., Eci...
The Red-crowned Ant Tanager boasts a wide and continuous distribution across the Neotropics, being a year-round resident throughout its extensive range. Its northern limit extends from eastern and southern Mexico, through the Yucatán Peninsula, Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua,...
Least Concern
- Despite their brilliant red plumage, male Red-crowned Ant Tanagers are notoriously difficult to spot, often staying hidden in dense undergrowth. - This species is a facultative army ant follower, meaning it regularly attends swarms of army ants to catch fleeing insects and other invertebrates. ...