Ruddy Foliage-gleaner

The Ruddy Foliage-gleaner, Clibanornis rubiginosus, is a modestly sized bird, with a length ranging from 17 to 21.5 cm and most subspecies weighing between 39 and 52 grams. Exhibiting sexual monomorphism, both males and females share the same plumage characteristics. The bird is adorned with a dark reddish-brown face, a crown of a very dark brown with a reddish hue, and a back that is slightly paler. The wings and tail follow suit in coloration, while the throat is a dark rufous, transitioning to a reddish-brown breast with faint spots. The belly is rufescent brown, flanked by darker sides, and the undertail coverts are reddish brown. The bird's eyes are a dark brown to grayish brown, the maxilla is black to gray, the mandible is pinkish gray to dusky horn, and the legs and feet are brown to grayish olive.

Identification Tips

When identifying the Ruddy Foliage-gleaner, look for the ring of bare blue skin around the eye, the reddish-brown tips on the uppertail coverts, and the faint paler spots along the feather shafts on the breast. Juveniles can be distinguished by their paler ochraceous throat and breast.

Habitat

This species is found in a variety of forest habitats, including humid evergreen, pine-evergreen, and pine-oak forests, as well as cloudforest and coffee plantations. It is typically observed in the forest understory and is often associated with dense vegetation at the bottoms of ravines.

Distribution

The Ruddy Foliage-gleaner has a highly disjunct distribution across Mexico, several Central American countries, and every mainland South American country except Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay.

Behaviour

The Ruddy Foliage-gleaner is a year-round resident, with some populations in Mexico possibly undergoing seasonal elevational migrations. It forages primarily in pairs and rarely joins mixed-species feeding flocks, gleaning prey from dead leaves, pecking at decaying branches, and occasionally flipping leaf litter on the ground.

Song & Calls

Vocalizations of the Ruddy Foliage-gleaner vary among subspecies, ranging from disyllabic, nasal mewing sounds in Mexico to a variety of calls including "ka-kweek", "ta-whoip", "a-whick", "eeaah", and "kaayr, kaayr" in Costa Rica and Panama. In the Guianas and northern Brazil, its call is a sharp "chuck-kwihhh" with a rising second note.

Breeding

The breeding season of the Ruddy Foliage-gleaner varies geographically. The species is monogamous, with pairs staying together throughout the year. Nests are typically cups of soft fibers in a chamber at the end of a tunnel in an earthen bank, with a usual clutch size of two eggs. The female incubates the eggs at night, but further details of their breeding biology remain unknown.

Similar Species

There are no similar species provided in the source data.

Diet and Feeding

The diet of the Ruddy Foliage-gleaner consists of arthropods and small vertebrates such as frogs. It forages mostly in the undergrowth and occasionally in the forest's mid-storey.

Conservation Status

The IUCN has classified the Ruddy Foliage-gleaner as Least Concern. Despite a large range and a substantial population, the number of mature individuals is believed to be in decline. However, no immediate threats have been identified, and the species is found in several protected areas across its range.