The Chiriqui foliage-gleaner is a species of bird in the Furnariinae subfamily of the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is found in Costa Rica and Panama.
Region
Southern Central America
Typical Environment
Occurs in southwestern Costa Rica and western Panama, primarily in humid evergreen foothill and lower montane forests. It favors dense understory and vine-tangled slopes, forested ravines, and interiors of mature and well-regenerated secondary forest. Birds are typically found from the lower to mid-understory, occasionally moving into the midstory while following mixed flocks. It is generally absent from dry lowlands and extensively degraded habitats.
Altitude Range
300–1500 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Formerly treated as part of the Buff-throated Foliage-gleaner complex, it is now recognized as a distinct species restricted to southern Central America. It often joins mixed-species flocks in humid foothill forests and forages by probing and tearing at dead leaves. Like many ovenbirds, it nests in earthen tunnels excavated in banks or slopes.
Temperament
skulking and methodical
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Usually seen singly or in pairs, commonly accompanying mixed-species flocks moving through the understory. Pairs maintain territories year-round. Nesting typically involves burrowing a tunnel into an earthen bank and lining a chamber at the end with plant material.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Song is a short series of clear, sharp notes that accelerate slightly and may rise or fall at the end. Calls include dry chips and rasping notes given while foraging within dense cover.
Plumage
Warm brown to rufescent upperparts with a distinctly rufous tail; underparts brownish with a buffy to ochraceous throat and subtle dusky scaling on the upper breast.
Diet
Primarily consumes arthropods such as insects and spiders gleaned from dead leaves, leaf clusters, and bark crevices. It pries, tears, and probes in tangles and suspended leaf litter, often focusing on curled or decaying leaves where prey hides. Occasionally takes small vertebrates or other small invertebrates when encountered.
Preferred Environment
Feeds in the shaded understory and lower midstory of humid foothill forest, especially along vine tangles, fallen limbs, and dense thickets. Frequently forages along slopes, stream ravines, and interior forest trails, and often follows mixed-species flocks to exploit disturbed prey.
