Akletos melanoceps
The White-shouldered Antbird, *Akletos melanoceps*, is a striking denizen of the Neotropical forest understory, immediately identifiable by its overall dark, sooty-black plumage dramatically contrasted by a brilliant white alar patch, or "shoulder," a key field mark for both sexes. Measuring approximately 16-17 cm in length and weighing around 30-35 grams, this robust antbird also sports conspicuous scarlet-red orbital skin around its dark eyes and a stout, black bill. Taxonomically, it belon...
Found exclusively in the humid, lowland evergreen forests of the Amazon basin, the White-shouldered Antbird primarily inhabits the dense understory and forest floor, often near streams or flooded areas, at elevations typically below 600 meters.
The diet consists almost exclusively of arthropods, including a variety of insects like beetles, orthopterans, and cockroaches, as well as spiders, all primarily obtained by following army ant swarms.
This fiercely territorial species is renowned for its close association with army ant swarms, particularly *Eciton burchellii* and *Labidus praedator*, which it follows to capture insects flushed by the advancing ants. Foraging primarily on the forest floor, it hops methodically, making short fli...
The White-shouldered Antbird is a resident species distributed across the western Amazon basin of northern South America. Its primary breeding range encompasses extreme southern Colombia, eastern Ecuador, eastern Peru, and northwestern Brazil, specifically west of the Rio Negro and south into the...
Least Concern
- The White-shouldered Antbird is an 'obligate ant-follower,' meaning it relies heavily on army ant swarms to flush out its insect prey. Without the ants, its foraging success plummets. - It exhibits striking red bare skin around its eyes, a vivid splash of color against its dark plumage, especia...