White-masked Antbird
Pithys castaneus
The White-masked Antbird (Pithys castaneus) is a legendary antbirds, antshrikes, antwrens, and antvireo found only in Peru, weighing about 30 g. The white-masked antbird is a Near Threatened species of bird in subfamily Thamnophilinae of family Thamnophilidae, the "typical antbirds".
About the White-masked Antbird
The white-masked antbird is a Near Threatened species of bird in subfamily Thamnophilinae of family Thamnophilidae, the "typical antbirds". It is endemic to Peru.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The white-masked antbird is about 14 cm (5.5 in) long. The sexes are alike. Adults are mostly bright rufous chestnut. Their crown, nape, lower ear coverts, and the sides of their throat are black. Their lores, a wide area around their eye, their chin, and their throat are white. Juveniles are a duller rufous chestnut, with less white on the face and with sooty brown replacing the adult's black on the head. Adults have a brown or dark brown iris and brownish orange or ochre orange legs and feet. Juveniles' iris is dark gray and their legs and feet gray-tinged dirty yellow. Voice: The white-masked antbird's song is "a rising, whiny whistled huuuuuureee? with short, quiet, chiming tur'e'e notes often interspersed between whistles". Its calls include "a quiet, descending, mewed whew, a harsh, descending t'char...a sharp tchip! a low, barely descending, harsh grrah".
Where it lives
When to see it
Best months: February, June, July, August, October, November, December, with peak activity in June. It is a variable species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a White-masked Antbird?
- The white-masked antbird is about 14 cm (5.5 in) long. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a White-masked Antbird?
- The White-masked Antbird is a small sized bird weighing about 30 g.
- Where can you see a White-masked Antbird?
- The White-masked Antbird is endemic to Peru, which is the only country where it occurs.
- What birds look similar to a White-masked Antbird?
- The White-masked Antbird is most easily confused with the White-plumed Antbird.
- Is the White-masked Antbird endangered?
- The White-masked Antbird is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the White-masked Antbird for real
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