With an electric blue face and pale scalloped feathers, this prehistoric lookalike is evident in the jungle! In the Thamnophilidae family of antbirds, Phaenostictus mcleannani is a species known as the ocellated antbird.
There is a vast region of skin surrounding each eye that appears to be nearly iridescent in color, making this bird appear more than a bit prehistoric. Each subspecies’ coloring is unique.
Although they all have a crown colored grey, black throat, buff breast, and a spotted belly and back as a common denominator, each subspecies has a somewhat different look. Antbirds, in general, have unique feeding habits.
Antbirds have been dubbed antbirds because of the way they feed. Swarms or columns of ants are common in the rainforest when ants search for food.
Insects and tiny animals, such as mice and lizards, are agitated by the ants’ movement. As these ants migrate, antbirds have figured out how to take advantage of it.
Insects and small animals fleeing the hungry ants are preyed upon by the antbirds as they follow the ants’ trail. It is to some extent like the ants are seeking for the birds.
More fascinating is the fact that the mating pair of this species establish a group that includes their male progeny and their partners. To protect their domains from potential adversaries, some clans form alliances.
Lately, an open cup nest with two eggs within has been seen.
Location of Ocellated Antbirds
There are populations of this bird in the Central American countries of Costa Rica; Honduras; Nicaragua; Panama; Colombia and Ecuador.
They like damp lowland woods, forested hillsides, and tall secondary growth forest places to call home.
Feature of Ocellated Antbird
Despite its olive and rufous colouration, each feather is centered with black, giving it its unique scaly “ocellated” aspect. In addition, it has a black throat.
This Antbird’s outfit is complemented by its strong, pink limbs. It has a pretty long tail and a large body, but a relatively small head.
A young Ocellated antbird
Males and females are nearly identical in appearance, as are youngsters, who lack the adults’ blue facial skin.
Are they endangered species or not?
Having a large range and stable population the Ocellated Antbird is listed as of Least Concern On the IUCN list of species.
Courtship display by a male antbird
Monogamous Ocellated Antbirds mate for life. The male performs a loud song as part of his wooing show while delivering food to the female.
Nestlings and fledglings are cared for by both parents.
How to easily locate Ocellated birds
It’s like hitting the lottery for a birder when they come across a swarm of army ants in the lowland tropical rainforest. One of the most sought-after guests at a huge swarm is the Ocellated Antbird, which can number in the tens of thousands of individuals.
A group of committed ant followers
Every day, Ocellated Antbirds keep an eye out for ant swarms by checking their bivouac positions and listening to each other to see if any new ones have arrived.
Catching a prey
To catch prey being flushed to the front of a swarm, the Ocellated Antbird flits from perch to perch on branches and lianas (a woody climbing plant that hangs from trees, especially in tropical rainforests) near the ground, often clinging onto vertical stems. It will swoop down to grab a prey item and then soar back up to eat it.
Ocellated antbirds are readily distinguished from other antbirds by their distinct color as well as their characteristic flight pattern. For this bird, seeing an army of ants swarming in the lowland tropical rainforests of Central and South America is the dream.
The bird’s vibrant colors are on display as it follows an army of ants in search of its next meal
