The black-crowned antpitta is a species of bird in the gnateater family, Conopophagidae. It is found in Colombia, Costa Rica, and Panama. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist foothill forests.
Region
Central America and the Chocó region of northwestern South America
Typical Environment
Occupies subtropical and tropical moist foothill forests, favoring dense, shaded understory with abundant leaf litter. It uses primary forest and well-developed secondary growth, often near ravines and along forested stream courses. The species spends much of its time on or near the forest floor, moving in short hops and brief flights between low perches. It is patchily distributed but can be locally fairly common where intact habitat persists.
Altitude Range
100–1200 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Despite its name, the black-crowned antpitta is actually a gnateater (family Conopophagidae), not a true antpitta. It is a secretive understory skulk, most often detected by its clear, whistled song rather than seen. The species inhabits humid foothill forests from Costa Rica through Panama into northwestern Colombia.
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Typically found singly or in pairs maintaining territories within dense understory. Nests are placed low, often close to the ground, with both parents involved in care. Courtship and territorial defense rely heavily on vocalizations due to the bird’s secretive habits.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Delivers a clear, whistled series of notes, often mournful and far-carrying, repeated at intervals from a concealed perch. Calls include soft whistles and chips used for pair contact within dense vegetation.
Plumage
Chunky, short-tailed bird with olive-brown upperparts and heavily barred underparts of black over buff. The head shows a distinctive black crown with contrasting paler face markings and fine spotting. Wings and flanks are warm brown to rufous, and the throat and breast show bold black-and-buff barring.
Diet
Feeds primarily on arthropods such as beetles, ants, spiders, and orthopterans gleaned from leaf litter and low vegetation. It occasionally takes small vertebrates like tiny frogs or lizards when encountered. The species may opportunistically attend ant swarms to capture flushed prey, though it usually forages independently.
Preferred Environment
Forages on or near the forest floor in dense, shaded understory with ample leaf litter. Often works along stream edges, root tangles, and fallen logs where prey is concentrated.
