Bird Guide

Muisca Antpitta vs Undulated Antpitta

Muisca Antpitta (Grallaria rufula)

Muisca Antpitta

Grallaria rufula

Small36 gForest

Grallaria antpittas are a "wonderful group of plump and round antbirds whose feathers are often fluffed up...they have stout bills very short tails". The Muisca antpitta is about 14 to 15 cm (5.5 to 5.9 in) long; four individuals weighed 32 to 36 g (1.1 to 1.3 oz). The sexes have the same plumage. Adults have rufous brown upperparts that are a slightly brighter rufous on their face, throat, and breast. Their underparts are mostly rufous brown with dark grayish rufous flanks, a paler rufous central belly, and white or buffy white lower belly and vent. Voice: The Muisca antpitta's long song is "a drawn out series of clear whistles with a slightly clipped sound...lasting a total of ~6–11 seconds" and accelerates at the end. It also has a short song, "a thin, clear whistle lasting ~0.75 s...followed by a pause and then a lower, fast liquid trill of about the same length".

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Muisca Antpitta
Recorded by alberto peña · Call, song · Pamplona, Norte de Santander, Colombia · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Allan Harris · CC0
Undulated Antpitta (Grallaria squamigera)

Undulated Antpitta

Grallaria squamigera

Medium136 gForest

Grallaria antpittas are a "wonderful group of plump and round antbirds whose feathers are often fluffed up...they have stout bills, very short tails, and very long bluish gray legs". The undulated antpitta is the largest member of its genus that occurs in the higher Andes; it is 20 to 24 cm (7.9 to 9.4 in) long and weighs 112 to 174 g (4.0 to 6.1 oz). The sexes have the same plumage. Adults of the nominate subspecies have a gray crown and nape and mostly ashy brown upperparts with a variable olivaceous wash. Most upperparts feathers have darker edges that give a scaly appearance. Voice: The undulated antpitta typically sings from dawn into the early morning and from a low perch. It sings at any time of the year but more frequently during the breeding season. Its song has been compared to the voice of some small owls, "a fast hollow quavering trill that slightly ascends in pitch and lasts 3-4 seconds, e.g. 'hohohohohohohohohohohoho', with last few notes more enunciated".

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Undulated Antpitta
Recorded by Niels Krabbe · Song · Loja: páramo of Cordillera Las Lagunillas, Ecuador · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Voyage autour du monde sur la frégate la Vénus · Public domain

Where you might meet both

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Muisca Antpitta and Undulated Antpitta.