Appearance
They are about 11.5 to 14 cm (4.5 to 5.5 in) long. The Ceará gnateater used to be considered a subspecies of the rufous gnateater (''Conopophaga lineata),'' but recent evidence shows they are distinct species.Ceara Gnateater (''Conopophaga cearae''), In Neotropical Birds Online (, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. retrieved from Neotropical Birds Online:Distribution and habitat
Ceará gnateaters are endemic to a small region in northeastern Brazil with upland evergreen forest.“Ceara Gnateater”. ''American Bird Conservancy website''. American Bird Conservancy. 2017. Retrieved 3 April 2018. dio:Diet
As their name would imply, Ceara gnateaters are insectivores. They dominate the understory and forage close to the forest floor either under leaf litter or just above the ground.Alves, M. A., Rocha, C. F. D., Van Sluys, M., & Vecchi, M. 2013. Nest, eggs and effort partitioning in incubation and rearing by a pair of the Black-cheecked gnateater, Conopophaga melanops (Passeriformes, Conopophagidae), in a Atlantic Rainforest area of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. ''Revista Brasileira de Ornitologia-Brazilian Journal of Ornithology'', ''10''(16): 5. Once prey is captured, such as small arthropods or beetles, they head to the safety of dense underbrush. They prefer to forage alone or with their mate and tend to avoid larger groups. This behavior of group avoidance is not well explained.Reproduction
Similar to most gnateaters, this species is monogamous. Pairs remain together throughout the year. Mated-pairs may avoid mixed-species flocks found in the understory. Courtship involve males erecting their white ear tufts and chasing females while performing simple aerial displays. Male primary feathers are modified to produce specialized sounds while in flight. Both their ear tufts and sound production with their wings can be used for courtship or for territory defense. A pair's territory size may extend to 40m².Leite, G. A., Gomes, F. B., & MacDnald, D. 2013. Description of the nest, nestling and broken-wing behavior of Conopophaga aurita (Passeriformes: Conopophagidae). ''Revista Brasileira de Ornitologia-Brazilian Journal of Ornithology'', ''20''(48): 4. Nest building involves placing twigs and leaves in low branches or shrubs to create a camouflaged cup-nest. The clutch consists of 2 eggs, but it is often that only one survives toConservation status
There has been conflicting information on this species endangered status. Its population is considered stable, but there has been a lack of studies regarding actual population numbers. Some sources say its status should be changed to vulnerable due to its restricted range which makes it susceptible to habitat loss. AQUASIS is a non-profit organization that works in the Brazilian state of Ceara to prevent the extinction of endangered species. Although the Ceara gnateater is not one of their species of focus, this organization works to protect areas where they exist.“Grey-breasted Parakeet”. ''AQUASIS website.'' 2017. Retrieved 3 April 2018. dio:References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q15873782 Ceará gnateater Birds of the Caatinga Endemic birds of Brazil Ceará gnateater Ceará gnateater