The short-billed leaftosser is a species of bird in the subfamily Sclerurinae, the leaftossers and miners, of the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela.
Region
Amazon Basin
Typical Environment
Occurs widely in lowland evergreen rainforest across the Amazon of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela. It favors mature terra firme forest with deep leaf litter and dense understory. Often found near fallen logs, treefall gaps, and along shaded streambanks. Less common in heavily disturbed or fragmented habitats but may use older secondary forest.
Altitude Range
0–1200 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
A secretive ground-dweller of the Amazon, the short-billed leaftosser specializes in flicking aside leaf litter to expose hidden prey. Its short, slightly decurved bill and rufous throat help distinguish it from other leaftossers. It forages singly or in pairs in dim understory, often along logs and buttress roots. It is sensitive to forest disturbance and is most common in intact terra firme forest.
Temperament
solitary and secretive
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats, low to the ground
Social Behavior
Usually seen alone or in pairs, maintaining territories on the forest floor. Forages by vigorously tossing leaves aside with the bill to find hidden arthropods. Nests are typically placed in earthen banks or similar cavities, with pairs defending nearby areas. Courtship and pair bonds are discreet and largely confined to dense understory.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Song is a series of clear, high-pitched whistles, often descending slightly and delivered from low perches. Calls include sharp, thin notes and soft contact whistles used between mates.
Plumage
Mostly dark brown with a warmer rufescent wash on the tail and rump; throat rich rufous; underparts dusky brown with subtle scaling. Feathers are plain and soft-textured, aiding camouflage on the forest floor.
Diet
Primarily consumes ground-dwelling arthropods such as beetles, ants, spiders, and larvae uncovered by leaf-tossing. It probes into leaf litter, moss, and soft soil, and inspects crevices around roots and fallen wood. Occasionally takes small invertebrates flushed by army ants but is not a strict ant-follower.
Preferred Environment
Feeds on the shaded forest floor of mature terra firme rainforest, especially where leaf litter is deep. Often works along buttress roots, rotting logs, and quiet stream margins where prey accumulates.
