Birds of the World

    PASSERIFORMES: Grallariidae (Antpittas)  
Genus: Grallaria (47 species)

Genus Grallaria are antpittas, short-tailed insect-eating tropical birds that stand upright and hop along forest floor, almost never flying and rarely perching on branches. Sizes range from about 16 cm. to about 24 cm.


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White-throated Antpitta (Grallaria albigula)
Range: SA: se Peru to nw Argentina
   



Moustached Antpitta
Moustached Antpitta (Grallaria alleni andaquiensis) Vulnerable
Range: SA: sw Colombia and n Ecuador
Paz de las Aves, Ecuador  
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

A medium-sized antpitta found in healthy forests at around 1500-2000m.

Boyaca Antpitta
Boyaca Antpitta (Grallaria alticola)
Range: SA: e Colombia
Sumapaz National Park, Colombia  
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

The alticola race on the Tawny Antpitta in the eastern Andean chain of Colombia is smaller, whiter and more streaked. In 2023 it was split as the Boyaca Antpitta.

Chami Antpitta
Chami Antpitta (Grallaria alvarezi)
Range: SA: w Colombia (nw Antioquia to nw Cauca)
Jardin, Antioquia, Colombia  
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

The newly described Chami Antpitta is part of a big split of the Rufous Antpitta, and is found only in the western Andean chain in Colombia. It is a bit redder than others.

Stripe-headed Antpitta
Stripe-headed Antpitta (Grallaria andicolus)
Range: SA: Peru to w Bolivia
Junin, Peru  
   
Photograph by Juan José Chalco Luna   © All Rights Reserved.


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Atuen Antpitta (Grallaria atuensis)
Range: SA: n Peru
   



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Ayacucho Antpitta (Grallaria ayacuchensis)
Range: SA: sc Peru (Ayacucho)
   



Santa Marta Antpitta
Santa Marta Antpitta (Grallaria bangsi) Vulnerable
Range: SA: n Colombia
ProAves El Dorado Reserve, Santa Marta Sierra Nevada, Magdalena, Colombia  
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

Found at mid altitude levels (1500-2400 meters), and the only antpitta in that range.

Chestnut Antpitta
Chestnut Antpitta (Grallaria blakei)
Range: SA: ec Peru (Amazonas and San Martín south and east of the Río Marañón south to Huánuco north of Río Huallaga)
Owlet Lodge, Abra Patricia, Amazonas, Peru  
   
Photograph by Tropical Birding (Nick Athanas)   © All Rights Reserved.


Cajamarca Antpitta
Cajamarca Antpitta (Grallaria cajamarcae)
Range: SA: nw Peru (Piura, Cajamarca, and Lambayeque west of the Río Huancabamba and the upper Río Marañón)
Cruz Conga, Peru  
   
Photograph by Bradley Hacker   © All Rights Reserved.


Bay Antpitta
Bay Antpitta (Grallaria capitalis)
Range: SA: c Peru
Senda Paty, Peru  
   
Photograph by Bradley Hacker   © All Rights Reserved.


Pale-billed Antpitta
Pale-billed Antpitta (Grallaria carrikeri)
Range: SA: Peru
San Lorenzo, Amazonas, Peru  
   
Photograph by Tropical Birding (Nick Athanas)   © All Rights Reserved.

Found at altitudes over 2300 meters in northern Peru.

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Oxapampa Antpitta (Grallaria centralis)
Range: SA: ec Peru (Huánuco south of the Río Huallaga through Pasco to Junín west of the Río Ene and north of the Río Mantaro):
   



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Tachira Antpitta (Grallaria chthonia) Critically Endangered
Range: SA: w Venezuela
   



Bolivian Antpitta
Bolivian Antpitta (Grallaria cochabambae)
Range: SA: w Bolivia
Corani, Bolivia  
   
Photograph by Bradley Hacker   © All Rights Reserved.


Ochre-striped Antpitta
Ochre-striped Antpitta (Grallaria dignissima)
Range: SA: w Amazonia
Yasuní Research Station, Orellana, Ecuador  
   
Photograph by Tropical Birding (Nick Athanas)   © All Rights Reserved.


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Elusive Antpitta (Grallaria eludens)
Range: SA: sw Amazonia
   



Red-and-white Antpitta
Red-and-white Antpitta (Grallaria erythroleuca)
Range: SA: se Peru
Wayqecha, Peru  
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

A large antpitta found over 2100m only in southeast Peru on the eastern Andean slope. Replaces the White-throated Antpitta found at lower altitudes, and which does not have a white belly.

View image by Paul B. Jones on BirdPhotos.com
Rufous-faced Antpitta (Grallaria erythrotis)
Range: SA: Yungas of extreme se Peru (Puno) and w Bolivia (La Paz, Cochabamba and w Santa Cruz)
   



Great Antpitta
Great Antpitta (Grallaria excelsa excelsa) Near Threatened
Range: SA: Venezuela
west, Venezuela  
   
Photograph by David Ascanio - www.abtbirds.com   © All Rights Reserved.


Yellow-breasted Antpitta
Yellow-breasted Antpitta (Grallaria flavotincta)
Range: SA: Colombia to nw Ecuador
Paz de las Aves, Ecuador  
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

Found only in healthy forests on the western Andean slope.

Giant Antpitta
Giant Antpitta (Grallaria gigantea) Vulnerable
Range: SA: sw Colombia and n Ecuador
Tandayapa Lodge, Ecuador  
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

A huge Antpitta found in Ecuador, and allegedly south Colombia as well, although most records are older.

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Chachapoyas Antpitta (Grallaria gravesi)
Range: SA: nc, c Peru (Amazonas and San Martín south and east of the Río Marañón, south to Huánuco north of Río Huallaga)
   



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Grey-naped Antpitta (Grallaria griseonucha)
Range: SA: Venezuela
   



Scaled Antpitta
Scaled Antpitta (Grallaria guatimalensis princeps)
Range: MA, SA: s Mexico to c Bolivia and tepuis
Auberge de Socorro, Costa Rica
  The subspecies in Costa Rica and west Panama is much redder than others.
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

Scaled Antpitta
Scaled Antpitta (Grallaria guatimalensis regulus)
Range: MA, SA: s Mexico to c Bolivia and tepuis
Kilometro 18, Cali, Valle del Cauca, Colombia  
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

A large antpitta that sometimes goes into the canopy. Most closely related to the Moustached Antpitta.

Plain-backed Antpitta
Plain-backed Antpitta (Grallaria haplonota chaplinae)
Range: SA: n Venezuela, w Colombia to n Peru
Wildsumaco Lodge, Sumaco, Ecuador  
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

A smaller antpitta found at around 1500m that is very difficult to see.

White-bellied Antpitta
White-bellied Antpitta (Grallaria hypoleuca castanea)
Range: SA: Colombia to n Peru
Palestina, Tolima, Colombia  
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.


Cundinamarca Antpitta
Cundinamarca Antpitta (Grallaria kaestneri) Endangered
Range: SA: c Colombia
Refugio del Tororoy, Guayabetal, Cundinamarca, Colombia  
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

Found in dense forest undergrowth at around 1800-2300m (HBW). Found on eastern Andean slope.

Brown-banded Antpitta
Brown-banded Antpitta (Grallaria milleri) Vulnerable
Range: SA: c Colombia
Rio Blanco Ecological Reserve, Manizales, Caldas, Colombia
  Named after weak brown band across chest. Found only around Nevado del Ruiz around 2500 meters.
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.


Chestnut-naped Antpitta
Chestnut-naped Antpitta (Grallaria nuchalis ruficeps)
Range: SA: Colombia to n Peru
San Sebastian Reserve, Envigado, Antioquia, Colombia  
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

A reasonably common larger antpitta found around 2500-3000m.

Junin Antpitta
Junin Antpitta (Grallaria obscura)
Range: SA: ec Peru (Junín, south of the Río Perené, north of the Río Mantaro, and west of Río Ene)
Carretera Satipo, Peru  
   
Photograph by Bradley Hacker   © All Rights Reserved.


Urubamba Antpitta
Urubamba Antpitta (Grallaria occabambae)
Range: SA: sc Peru (e Junín and Cusco)
Wayqecha, Peru  
   
Photograph by Bradley Hacker   © All Rights Reserved.


Panao Antpitta
Panao Antpitta (Grallaria oneilli)
Range: SA: ec Peru (Huánuco and Pasco, south of the Río Huallaga and north of the Río Perené)
Bosque Montepotrero,  
   
Photograph by Bradley Hacker   © All Rights Reserved.


Rusty-tinged Antpitta
Rusty-tinged Antpitta (Grallaria przewalskii)
Range: SA: c Peru
Reserva Alto Nieva, San Martín, Peru  
   
Photograph by Tropical Birding (Nick Athanas)   © All Rights Reserved.


Tawny Antpitta
Tawny Antpitta (Grallaria quitensis)
Range: SA: c Colombia and Ecuador
Cajas National Park, Ecuador
  A large antpitta
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

A large antpitta, and unlike most antpittas in that it is often found in the open, usually above 3500m, in the paramo above the treeline.
Additional photo.

Jocotoco Antpitta
Jocotoco Antpitta (Grallaria ridgelyi) Endangered
Range: SA: s Ecuador and n Peru
south, Ecuador  
   
Photograph by Francesco Veronesi     Copyright and usage info

A large antpitta found in only one wet mossy area of south Ecuador. Recently discovered.

Chestnut-crowned Antpitta
Chestnut-crowned Antpitta (Grallaria ruficapilla ruficapilla)
Range: SA: n, w Venezuela to c Peru
Rio Blanco Ecological Reserve, Manizales, Caldas, Colombia  
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

This wide-ranging medium-sized species is generally the most frequently seen and heard cloud forest antpitta.

Bicolored Antpitta
Bicolored Antpitta (Grallaria rufocinerea rufocinerea)
Range: SA: c Colombia and nc Ecuador
Rio Blanco Ecological Reserve, Manizales, Caldas, Colombia  
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

A small uncommon antpitta generally found around 2500-3000m.

Muisca Antpitta
Muisca Antpitta (Grallaria rufula)
Range: SA: ec Colombia (Norte de Santander to Cundinamarca and w Meta), sw Venezuela (Táchira)
Chingaza, Colombia  
   
Photograph by Peter Hawrylyshyn   © All Rights Reserved.

Part of a five-way split of the Rufous Antpitta in Colombia, and found only in the eastern Andean chain (the Andes breaks into three ranges in south Colombia).

Perija Antpitta
Perija Antpitta (Grallaria saltuensis) Near Threatened
Range: SA: Perijá Mts. (ne Colombia and nw Venezuela)
 
   
Photograph by Manakin Nature Tours - Luis Urueña   © All Rights Reserved.

Perija Antpitta
Perija Antpitta (Grallaria saltuensis) Near Threatened
Range: SA: Perijá Mts. (ne Colombia and nw Venezuela)
  Note large size, greyish color and eye-ring on Perija race.
   
Photograph by Manakin Nature Tours - Luis Urueña   © All Rights Reserved.

Note large size, greyish color and white eye-ring, different from other species in the Rufous Antpitta complex.

Equatorial Antpitta
Equatorial Antpitta (Grallaria saturata)
Range: SA: c, sc Colombia, Ecuador, nc Peru
Hacienda de Bosque, Manizales, Colombia  
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

The newly described Equatorial Antpitta is part of a big split of the Rufous Antpitta, and is found only in the central Andean ridge in Colombia, and continues into Ecuador and Peru.

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Puno Antpitta (Grallaria sinaensis)
Range: SA: s Peru (Puno) and extreme w Bolivia (w La Paz)
   



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Sierra Nevada Antpitta (Grallaria spatiator)
Range: SA: Santa Marta Mts. (ne Colombia)
   



Undulated Antpitta
Undulated Antpitta (Grallaria squamigera squamigera)
Range: SA: w Venezuela to c Bolivia
Rio Blanco Ecological Reserve, Manizales, Caldas, Colombia  
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.


Urrao Antpitta
Urrao Antpitta (Grallaria urraoensis)
Range: SA: nw Colombia
ProAves Dusky Starfrontlet Reserve, Urrao, Antioquia, Colombia  
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

Recently discovered, and only found in the forests below the paramo of Urrao.

Variegated Antpitta
Variegated Antpitta (Grallaria varia)
Range: SA: Amazonia and se SA
Parque Estadual da Serra da Cantareira, Sao Paulo-SP, Brazil  
   
Photograph by Dario Sanches     Copyright and usage info


Watkins's Antpitta
Watkins's Antpitta (Grallaria watkinsi) Near Threatened
Range: SA: w Ecuador and nw Peru
Jorupe Reserve, Loja, Ecuador  
   
Photograph by Tropical Birding (Nick Athanas)   © All Rights Reserved.



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