Parker's antbird is a species of passerine bird in subfamily Thamnophilinae of family Thamnophilidae, the "typical antbirds". It is endemic to Colombia.
Region
Colombian Andes
Typical Environment
Occurs on the slopes flanking the Magdalena Valley in the Central and Western Andes of Colombia. It inhabits humid foothill and montane forests, including mature forest, second growth, forest edges, and riparian thickets. The species keeps to dense understory with vine tangles, Heliconia, and stands of bamboo (often Chusquea). It forages from near ground level to a few meters up, frequently along shaded trails and stream margins.
Altitude Range
700–1800 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Parker's antbird is a Colombian endemic of humid Andean foothills and montane forests, named in honor of the ornithologist Theodore A. Parker III. It forages quietly in dense understory, often staying low near the ground and occasionally attending army-ant swarms to catch fleeing insects. Males and females look quite different, which helps pairs keep contact in dark vegetation. Its subtle, whistled song carries well through thick forest.
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats, low and direct through understory
Social Behavior
Usually seen as pairs or family groups holding year-round territories in dense understory. Both sexes participate in nesting; the nest is typically a small cup placed low in vegetation. It sometimes follows army-ant swarms but is not an obligate ant-follower.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Song is a series of clear, slightly rising whistles that accelerate and may end in a brief trill. Calls include sharp chips and soft contact notes used between pair members in thick cover.
