Slaty Gnateater (Conopophaga ardesiaca)

Order: Passeriformes | Family: Conopophagidae | IUCN Status: Least Concern

slaty_gnateater
Age: Adult | Sex: Male | Loc. Amarakaire, Cuzco

slaty_gnateater
Age: Adult | Sex: Male | Loc. Amarakaire, Cuzco

slaty_gnateater
Age: Adult | Sex: Male | Loc. Manu Road, Cuzco

slaty_gnateater
Age: Adult | Sex: Male | Loc. Maruncunca, Puno


Identification & Behavior: ~13 cm (5.2 in). The male Slaty Gnateater has brown upperparts and nape. The forehead, sides of the head, and underparts are gray. It has a broad white post ocular stripe/tuft. The female is similar to the male with a less saturated plumage and rufous forehead and face. Gnateaters have a roundish body with a short tail and long legs. It forages on or near the ground in humid montane forests. The Slaty Gnateater is similar to a male Ash-throated Gnateater but has a plain mantle without scales, is larger, and occurs at higher elevations on the east slope of the Andes.

Status: The Slaty Gnateater is uncommon in montane forests of the east slope of the Andes is southeast Peru where it ranges at elevations between 850-2450 m. It also occurs in Bo.

Name in Spanish: Jejenero Pizarroso.

Sub-species: Slaty Gnateater (Conopophaga ardesiaca saturata), Berlepsch and Stolzmann, 1906.   E Andes of S Peru S from SE Cuzco (in Marcapata Valley).
(Conopophaga ardesiaca ardesiaca), d’Orbigny and Lafresnaye, 1837.  from SE Peru (probably from Puno) S to S Bolivia (Tarija).

Meaning of Name: Conopophaga: Gr. konops, konopos= gnat and phagos, phagein= eating, to eat. ardesiaca: Fr. Ardoisé= slate-gray.

Go to the Family Conopophagidae peru aves

Distribution Map
slaty gnateaterVoice


References:

    • Species range based on: Schulenberg, T. S., D. F. Stotz, and L. Rico. 2006. Distribution maps of the birds of Peru, version 1.0. Environment, Culture & Conservation (ECCo). The Field Museum.  http://fm2.fieldmuseum.org/uw_test/birdsofperu on 03/01/2017.