Ornate stipplethroat
The ornate stipplethroat or ornate antwren ("Epinecrophylla ornata") is a species of bird in the family Thamnophilidae. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical swamps. Taxonomy. The ornate stipplethroat was described by the English zoologist Philip Sclater in 1853 and given the binomial name "Formicivora ornata". It was subsequently placed in the genus "Myrmotherula". The present genus "Epinecrophylla" was erected in 2006. Five subspecies are recognized: Description. The ornate stipplethroat grows is between in length. The male has a grey head , neck and underparts, a black throat, a blackish tail and wings (with white tipped wing coverts), and a rufous back and rump throughout most of the bird's range; southern subspecies in Peru have a grey or greyish-brown back and rump. The female is similar but has a black and white speckled throat and buff underparts. The song is a high-pitched series of whistles, descending and getting faster. Distribution and habitat. The ornate stipplethroat is native to Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Brazil, being found at altitudes of up to in moist forests. Ecology. Members of the genus  Epinecrophylla tend to be specialists in extracting insects and spiders from clusters of dead leaves using beak and feet, foraging in this way for more than 75% of the time. Another characteristic of the genus seems to be the dome-shaped nest with side or oblique entrance; three of the species have this characteristic, while the nesting behaviours of the other members of the genus are not known. Conservation status. The ornate stipplethroat is said to be fairly common and has a very wide range, extending to over . Although the total population has not been estimated, the population trend is  thought to be steady in the absence of any indications to the contrary. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed the conservation status of this bird as being of "least concern".