The western fire-eye is an insectivorous bird in subfamily Thamnophilinae of family Thamnophilidae, the "typical antbirds". It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, and Peru.
Region
Amazon Basin and adjacent lowlands
Typical Environment
Occurs in humid tropical forests, chiefly in the western and central Amazon and adjacent lowland forests. Favors dense understory of terra firme and seasonally flooded várzea, secondary growth, bamboo thickets, and vine tangles. Also uses gallery forests and forest edges near waterways. Typically remains within a few meters of the ground, moving through thickets and along shaded trails.
Altitude Range
0–1300 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The western fire-eye is an understory antbird named for its striking red iris, which seems to glow in dim forest light. It often follows army-ant swarms to snatch insects flushed from the leaf litter, and pairs keep close contact with soft calls and frequent duets. Males and females look quite different, which helps pairs maintain territories in dense cover.
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with low, direct dashes between cover
Social Behavior
Usually found as pairs or small family groups in dense understory. Pairs maintain year-round territories and communicate with antiphonal duets. Nests are cup-shaped and placed low in shrubs or saplings; both sexes participate in care. Frequently attends army-ant swarms to capture escaping arthropods.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Song is a series of clear, accelerating whistles that may end in a chatter, often given as a duet. Calls include sharp chips and churring notes used to maintain contact in dense cover.
Plumage
Male is mostly glossy black with a longish tail and a vivid red eye; female is rich rufous-brown above with paler cinnamon underparts and dusky tail. Both sexes have dense, soft plumage suited for moving through thickets. Subtle pale edging on the wing coverts may be visible at close range.
Diet
Feeds primarily on insects and other arthropods such as beetles, ants, spiders, and orthopterans. Often gleans from leaves and twigs, pounces to the ground to seize prey, and sallies short distances within the understory. Regularly follows army-ant swarms to exploit flushed prey, especially in the morning.
Preferred Environment
Forages in dim, dense understory of mature and secondary tropical forest, bamboo patches, and along shaded streams. Stays close to the ground within vine tangles, fallen logs, and thickets where prey is abundant.
