Cercomacroides laeta
Willis's Antbird (Cercomacroides laeta) is a diminutive yet vibrant member of the Thamnophilidae family, characteristic of the Amazonian understory. Measuring about 13-14 cm (5.1-5.5 inches) in length and weighing 15-18 grams (0.5-0.6 oz), this species exhibits marked sexual dimorphism. Males are elegantly slaty-gray overall, deepening on the head and back, with a paler belly and often presenting subtle, broken white wing-bars and a hidden white dorsal patch, a key field mark for the genus. F...
Willis's Antbird inhabits the dense undergrowth and tangled vegetation of tropical lowland and foothill forests, including várzea, terra firme, and secondary growth. It typically occurs at elevations from sea level up to approximately 1,100 meters (3,600 feet).
Its diet consists primarily of small insects and other arthropods, which it gleans from foliage and branches in the forest understory.
Willis's Antbird is an active, diurnal insectivore, typically observed foraging in pairs or sometimes in small family groups, maintaining a constant presence in its territorial patch. They actively glean insects and small arthropods from the underside of leaves, twigs, and bark in the dense under...
Willis's Antbird is a resident species widely distributed across the Amazonian lowlands and adjacent foothills of South America. Its extensive range encompasses eastern Ecuador, eastern Peru, northern Bolivia, and western Brazil, generally east of the Andes. The species shows some geographic vari...
Least Concern
- Willis's Antbird was named in honor of Dr. Edwin O'Neill Willis, an American ornithologist renowned for his work on Neotropical birds. - Despite their subtle coloration, males possess a concealed white dorsal patch, visible only when the feathers are disturbed, which is thought to play a role i...