Gray-throated Leaftosser (Sclerurus albigularis)

Identification & Behavior: ~18 cm (7 in). The Gray-throated Leaftosser is rufous brown with a whitish or grayish throat that contrasts with the dark rufous breast. The tail is black, broad and roundish. The bill is dusky. It forages on the ground or terra firme forest in Amazonia where it constantly tosses dead leaves in search of prey items. It is very similar to the Black-tailed Leaftosser but is distinguished by having rufous-brown on the upper breast that contrast sharply with the whitish or grayish throat. The Gray-throated Leaftosser ranges at higher elevation on the east slope of the Andes but extends to the lowlands in southeastern Peru, where these two leaftossers are likely to overlap.

Status: The Gray-throated Leaftosser is rare in montane forests of the east slope of the Andes generally below 1700 m. In southeastern Peru, it ranges down to Amazonian lowlands where it favors terra firme. It also occurs in Co, Ec, Br, and Bo.

Name in Spanish: Tira-hoja de Garganta Gris.

Sub-species: Gray-throated Leaftosser (Sclerurus albigularis zamorae), Chapman, 1923.  foothills of Andes from E Ecuador (S from W Napo) S to C Peru (Cajamarca S to Pasco).
(Sclerurus albigularis albicollis), Carriker, 1935.  SE Peru (Ucayali), SW Brazil (Acre, N Rondônia) and Andean foothills in Bolivia (from La Paz and Beni S to NW Santa Cruz, also sight records from Tarija).

Meaning of Name: Sclerurus: Gr. sklēros=  stiff and oura=  tail. albigularis: L. albus= white and gularis, gula= throated, throat.

See more of the Family Furnariidae