The white-collared foliage-gleaner is a species of bird in the Furnariinae subfamily of the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is endemic to eastern Brazil.
Region
Eastern Brazil, Atlantic Forest
Typical Environment
Occurs in humid evergreen and semideciduous Atlantic Forest, with a strong association to dense understory, bamboo thickets, and vine tangles. It uses both primary and older secondary forest but is most numerous in well-preserved tracts. Birds typically forage from near ground level to the midstory, working along stems, tangles, and clusters of dead leaves. It is local and patchy within its range due to habitat loss and fragmentation.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1500 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
A secretive foliage-gleaner of Brazil’s Atlantic Forest, it is named for its striking white hind-collar that contrasts with rich rufous-brown plumage. It frequently forages in dense bamboo and vine tangles and often joins mixed-species flocks. The species is sensitive to forest fragmentation and prefers well-structured, humid forest understory.
Temperament
secretive and active
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Usually seen singly or in pairs, often accompanying mixed-species understory flocks while foraging. Pairs maintain contact calls as they move through dense vegetation. Breeding behavior is poorly documented, but pairs are thought to defend small territories during the nesting season.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Song is a short series of sharp, dry notes that may accelerate or rattle toward the end. Calls include crisp ticks and chips given while foraging and keeping contact in dense cover.
Plumage
Rufous-brown upperparts with a crisp white hind-collar and paler buffy underparts; wings and tail rufous-toned. A subtle pale supercilium and whitish throat contrast with the richer face and crown. Feathers are plain rather than barred or streaked, giving a clean, warm-toned appearance.
Diet
Primarily consumes arthropods such as beetles, caterpillars, spiders, and other insects taken from leaves, twigs, and bamboo. It methodically probes clusters of dry, curled leaves and leaf bases, often prying and gleaning from hidden surfaces. The bird frequently works along bamboo culms and vine tangles, inspecting crevices and dead foliage. Occasional small invertebrates are snatched in brief sallies within the understory.
Preferred Environment
Feeds in dense understory and midstory of humid forest, especially where bamboo and vines are abundant. It favors shady, cluttered microhabitats with ample dead-leaf clusters. Forest edges with dense growth may be used, but interior forest is preferred.
