The Caura antbird (''Myrmelastes caurensis'') is a species of bird in subfamily Thamnophilinae of family Thamnophilidae, the "typical antbirds". It is found in Brazil and Venezuela.

Taxonomy and systematics

The Caura antbird has a complicated taxonomic history. It was described as ''Sclateria schistacea caurensis'', a subspecies of the slate-colored antbird (now ''M. schistaceus''). A 1924 publication listed it as a separate species, ''Sclateria caurensis''. It was later placed in genera '' Schistocichla'' and ''

Percnostola ''Percnostola'' is a genus of insectivorous passerine birds in the family Thamnophilidae. The genus was erected by the German ornithologists Jean Cabanis and Ferdinand Heine in 1860. The type species is the black-headed antbird. The name of the ...

''.Remsen, J. V., Jr., J. I. Areta, E. Bonaccorso, S. Claramunt, G. Del-Rio, A. Jaramillo, D. F. Lane, M. B. Robbins, F. G. Stiles, and K. J. Zimmer. Version 27 July 2024. A classification of the bird species of South America. American Ornithological Society. https://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCBaseline.htm retrieved July 28, 2024 A 2013 study finalized its move to genus '' Myrmelastes''.Isler, M.L., Bravo, G.A. and Brumfield, R.T. (2013). Taxonomic revision of ''Myrmeciza'' (Aves: Passeriformes: Thamnophilidae) into 12 genera based on phylogenetic, morphological, behavioral, and ecological data. Zootaxa 3717(4): 469–497. The Caura antbird has two subspecies, the nominate ''M. c. caurensis'' (

Hellmayr Carl Eduard Hellmayr (29 January 1878 in Vienna, Austria – 24 February 1944 in Orselina, Switzerland) was an Austrian ornithologist. Biography Hellmayr was born in Vienna and studied at the University of Vienna, although he did not complete hi ...

, 1906) and ''M. c. australis'' ( Zimmer, JT & Phelps, WH, 1947).

Description

The Caura antbird is long and weighs about . Males of the

nominate subspecies In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...

are mostly slate gray. Their upperparts have a slight brown tinge and their wing

covert Secrecy is the practice of hiding information from certain individuals or groups who do not have the "need to know", perhaps while sharing it with other individuals. That which is kept hidden is known as the secret. Secrecy is often controvers ...

s have white tips. Their iris is deep red. Females have a mostly dark gray head with paler, brown tinged, feather centers. Their upperparts and wings are dark reddish yellow-brown with wide cinnamon-rufous tips on the wing coverts. Their tail is blackish gray. Their underparts are mostly deep rufous that is browner on their flanks and crissum. Their iris is dark brown. Males of subspecies ''M. c. australis'' have pale edges on their crown feathers and no brown tinge on their upperparts. Females are paler overall than the nominate and have a blackish brown crown.Zimmer, K. and M.L. Isler (2020). Caura Antbird (''Myrmelastes caurensis''), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.cauant2.01 retrieved July 31, 2024

Distribution and habitat

The Caura antbird's nominate subspecies is found in western Bolívar and northern Amazonas states of southern Venezuela. Subspecies ''M. c. australis'' is found in southern Amazonas in Venezuela and very slightly into adjoining

Roraima Roraima (, ) is one of the 26 states of Brazil. Located in the country's North Region, it is the northernmost and most geographically and logistically isolated state in Brazil. It is bordered by the state of Pará to the southeast, Amazonas ...

state in Brazil. It inhabits the floor and understorey of humid evergreen and semi-deciduous forest in foothills and on lower slopes of tepuis. It favors areas with large moss- and fern-covered boulders and outcrops and a fairly open understorey. In elevation it reaches .

Behavior

Movement

The Caura antbird is believed to be a year-round resident throughout its range.

Feeding

The Caura antbird's diet has not been detailed but is known to be mostly insects and probably also includes spiders. It forages as individuals, pairs, and small family groups and mostly on the ground though also up to several meters above it. It hops along the ground and takes prey mostly by tossing leaf litter. It also creeps along rock faces and into crevices to glean prey. It is not known to join mixed-species feeding flocks or to attend army ant swarms.

Breeding

The Caura antbird's breeding season appears to include February but nothing else is known about the species' breeding biology.

Vocalization

The Caura antbird's song is "a slow eriesof shrill, slightly buzzy notes (strongly modulated), ''JEEP..JEEP, JEET, JEET-jee-jee-jit-jit-jaa-jaa'', descending throughout". It also makes a "variety of snarls, ''jeea'' and ''jeer'', and rough chattering ''plee-ap''" calls.

Status

The

IUCN The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN; officially International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natu ...

has assessed the Caura antbird as being of Least Concern. Its population size is not known and is believed to be decreasing. No immediate threats have been identified. It is considered fairly common but only in very local areas. "Localities where it has been found are in remote regions of Bolívar and Amazonas states, where human populations and development are low. Gold-mining operations represent the primary environmental threat in this region."

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q1269514 Caura antbird Birds of the Tepuis Caura antbird Caura antbird Taxonomy articles created by Polbot