Pithys

Pithys is a genus of insectivorous passerine binds in the antbird family (Thamnophilidae) found in the lowland forests of South America. The genus includes two species: Pithys albifrons (White-plumed Antbird) and Pithys castanea (White-masked Antbird). These birds are known for their association with army ant swarms, which they follow to catch insects and other small animals that flee the swarm. This specialized feeding behavior, known as obligate ant-following, is rare among birds and defines much of the genus’s ecology. Pithys albifrons is about 12 cm in length. It is smaller than most species of its family, weighing 26 grams on average. This bird has a chestnut-colored underside, dark bluish-gray upperparts, and upright white feather tufts above the eyes and on the chin. The crown and throat are black, and the face shows narrow white stripes above the eyes. The legs are yellowish-orange. Young Pithys lack the white plumes and have duller plumage overall. This species is typically found in dense understory and can be observed darting to the ground during foraging. Its vocalizations include a high, falling “tjeeeew” song and a sharp “sreew” or “churr” call, which it uses frequently at active ant swarms. Pithys castanea has reddish-brown plumage and a pale facial area, which gives the species its common name. It is more restricted in range than P. albifrons.…

Pithys is a genus of insectivorous passerine binds in the antbird family (Thamnophilidae) found in the lowland forests of South America. The genus includes two species: Pithys albifrons (White-plumed Antbird) and Pithys castanea (White-masked Antbird). These birds are known for their association with army ant swarms, which they follow to catch insects and other small animals that flee the swarm. This specialized feeding behavior, known as obligate ant-following, is rare among birds and defines much of the genus’s ecology. Pithys albifrons is about 12 cm in length. It is smaller than most species of its family, weighing 26 grams on average. This bird has a chestnut-colored underside, dark bluish-gray upperparts, and upright white feather tufts above the eyes and on the chin. The crown and throat are black, and the face shows narrow white stripes above the eyes. The legs are yellowish-orange. Young Pithys lack the white plumes and have duller plumage overall. This species is typically found in dense understory and can be observed darting to the ground during foraging. Its vocalizations include a high, falling “tjeeeew” song and a sharp “sreew” or “churr” call, which it uses frequently at active ant swarms. Pithys castanea has reddish-brown plumage and a pale facial area, which gives the species its common name. It is more restricted in range than P. albifrons. The White-masked Antbird was first documented in 1937, when a specimen was collected in northern Peru. It was not recorded again until 2001, when it was rediscovered in Loreto, Peru. The species is listed as Near Threatened due to ongoing habitat loss and its limited known distribution. Very little is known about its behavior compared to its congener, and it remains one of the more elusive ant-following birds in the region. ==Species== ==References==

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