Myrmoderus loricatus
The White-bibbed Antbird (*Myrmoderus loricatus*) is a captivating understory specialist endemic to the highly threatened Atlantic Forest of southeastern Brazil. Measuring approximately 14-15 cm (5.5-6 inches) in length and weighing 20-25 grams, this small antbird is adorned with distinctive plumage. Males feature a prominent, glossy black face, throat, and a large black bib on the chest, strikingly bordered by a crisp white stripe; the rest of their underparts are a rich cinnamon-rufous, con...
Exclusively inhabits the dense understory of humid evergreen forests, favoring thickets, bamboo patches, and areas with abundant leaf litter. It can be found from sea level up to approximately 1,000 meters (3,300 feet) in elevation.
Primarily insectivorous, consuming a variety of insects and other arthropods. Its main foraging methods involve gleaning from foliage and probing leaf litter, often attending army ant swarms to capture disturbed prey.
The White-bibbed Antbird is a diurnal species, active throughout daylight hours but often elusive, preferring the dense cover of its understory habitat; it roosts within this same dense vegetation at night. Foraging occurs solitarily or in pairs, with individuals hopping on the forest floor or lo...
The White-bibbed Antbird is strictly endemic to the Atlantic Forest biome of southeastern Brazil. Its distribution extends from southeastern Bahia and Espírito Santo, south through eastern Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, and into eastern São Paulo state. This species is entirely resident within its...
Vulnerable
- The White-bibbed Antbird is one of the true endemics of Brazil's Atlantic Forest, a critically endangered biome. - Its scientific name, *loricatus*, is Latin for 'wearing a breastplate,' a direct reference to the male's striking black chest bib. - This species is an 'obligate ant-follower,' oft...