The henna-capped foliage-gleaner or chestnut-capped foliage-gleaner is a species of bird in the Furnariinae subfamily of the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is found in Brazil and Paraguay.
Region
South-central South America
Typical Environment
Occurs mainly in south-central Brazil and adjacent Paraguay, inhabiting gallery forests, riverine thickets, and dense secondary woodland on the edges of the Cerrado and Pantanal. It favors tangled understory with viney growth, cane, or bamboo, often near watercourses. Birds keep close to cover and frequently use dense leaf-litter piles and low tangles. It tolerates some habitat disturbance where understory remains intact.
Altitude Range
0–1200 m
Climate Zone
Subtropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Also called the chestnut-capped foliage-gleaner, this ovenbird skulks through dense understory, prying into curled leaves and cane with its straight bill. It is most often detected by its sharp, accelerating series of notes rather than by sight. The species is a year-round resident and sometimes joins mixed-species flocks moving through gallery forests and thickets.
Clibanornis restirostris Illustration by Joseph Smit, 1890
Temperament
skulking and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats through dense cover
Social Behavior
Typically seen singly or in pairs that maintain territories year-round. Pairs move methodically through low tangles and leaf litter, remaining close to cover. They sometimes accompany mixed-species flocks but usually keep to the lower strata. Nesting is in enclosed sites within banks or cavities, with both adults attending the young.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A sharp, accelerating series of notes that rises slightly then trails off, often delivered from concealed perches. Calls include dry ticks and rattling chips used for contact between pair members.
Plumage
Warm brown upperparts with a rich chestnut cap, rufous-toned wings and tail, and buffy to tawny underparts with a paler throat. Feathers appear soft and plain, with subtle shading rather than bold patterns. A faint pale supercilium contrasts with the darker crown.
Diet
Feeds primarily on arthropods such as beetles, ants, spiders, and other small invertebrates gleaned from dead leaves, vine tangles, and cane. It probes curled leaves and crevices with its straight bill and flips leaf litter on or near the ground. Occasional small seeds or berries may be taken opportunistically.
Preferred Environment
Forages in dense understory of gallery forests, thickets along streams, and edges of secondary woodland. Often uses patches of cane or bamboo and fallen branch piles where leaf litter accumulates.
