Nombre en español: Tovaca mirla

Nombre en inglés: Schwartz’s Antthrush

Nombre científico: Chamaeza turdina

Familia: Formicariidae

El tovacá turdino (Chamaeza turdina),​ también denominado tovacá mirla (en Colombia), hormiguero mazamorrero (en Venezuela) o chululú de Schwartz,​ es una especie de ave paseriforme perteneciente al género Chamaeza de la familia Formicariidae. Es endémica de las montañas del noroeste de América del Sur.

Descripción

Es un pájaro rechoncho, que mide alrededor de 19 cm de largo, con la cola corta y las patas relativamente largas. El plumaje de sus partes superiores es principalmente pardo oliváceo, con tonos castaños en el píleo y el obispillo. Sus partes inferiores tienen un aspecto escamado bien marcado porque sus plumas son blancas y tienen los bordes pardos. Presenta la garganta, una lista postocular y el lorum blancos. Su pico es fino, recto y grisáceo.

Distribución y hábitat

Se encuentra únicamente en las selvas de montaña en dos poblaciones disjuntas, una situada en el sur de los Andes de Colombia y la otra en la Cordillera de la Costa de Venezuela, donde es poco común en el suelo o a baja altura. Entre los 1400 y los 2600 m de altitud.

Sistemática

Descripción original

La especie C. turdina fue descrita por primera vez por los ornitólogos alemanes Jean Cabanis y Ferdinand Heine, Sr. en 1860 bajo el nombre científico Chamæzosa turdina; localidad tipo «Bogotá, Colombia».

Taxonomía

En el pasado se consideró al tovacá turdino una subespecie del tovacá colirrufo (Chamaeza ruficauda), hasta que en 1992 fue reconocido como una especie separada. El primero en diferenciar al tovacá turdino del colirrufo por las diferencias de sus cantos fue el ornitólogo Paul A. Schwartz.​ El canto del tovacá turdino se parece más al tovacá críptico.

Subespecies

Según la clasificación del Congreso Ornitológico Internacional (IOC) (Versión 7.1, 2017)​ y Clements Checklist v.2016, se reconocen 2 subespecies, con su correspondiente distribución geográfica:

• Chamaeza turdina chionogaster Hellmayr, 1906 – norte de Venezuela al oeste de la Depresión de Yaracuy en la Sierra de Aroa (este de Lara hacia el este hasta el sureste de Falcón) y cadena montañosa costera desde el norte de Aragua hasta el Distrito Federal.
• Chamaeza turdina turdina Cabanis & Heine Sr., 1860 – Colombia en el alto valle del Magdalena y medio valle del Cauca.

Schwartz’s antthrush

The Schwartz’s antthrush (Chamaeza turdina), also known as the scalloped antthrush, is a species of bird in the Formicariidae family. It is found in humid highland forests in the Andes of Colombia and the Coastal Range in Venezuela. The Colombian population belongs to the nominate subspecies, while the Venezuelan belongs to chionogaster. Long included as a subspecies of the rufous-tailed antthrush, it was only recognized as a separate species in 1992. It takes its name from ornithologist Paul A. Schwartz, who was the first to realize how strikingly different its song sounds compared to that of the rufous-tailed antthrush. The song of Schwartz’s antthrush is closer to that of the cryptic antthrush.

This member of the genus Chamaeza has a relatively tiny and highly disjunct range in the north-coastal mountains of Venezuela, and in Colombia’s upper Magdalena and middle Cauca valleys. Two subspecies are recognized for these well-separated populations. The Schwartz’s Antthrush was long considered to be conspecific with the Atlantic Forest endemic, Rufous-tailed Antthrush (Chamaeza ruficauda), but in addition to being obviously highly disjunct geographically, the two differ in both vocalizations and morphology. The species takes its English name from the legendary North American observer and sound recordist Paul Schwartz, a long-time resident of Venezuela, who was a pioneer in the use of avian sounds to resolve taxonomic problems.

Identification

19–19·5 cm. Adult has white lores, rather short white postocular streak, white patch on side of neck; upperparts medium olive-brown, crown and rump slightly more rufescent, tail dusky brown; throat white with fine black specks sometimes forming narrow malar stripe; breast and belly white with little or no buff wash, heavily scalloped with blackish, flanks washed olive-brown, crissum white with fine black bars; iris reddish-brown; bill dusky, base of lower mandible reddish-brown; tarsus dusky brown. Juvenile undes­cribed. Race chionogaster resembles nominate, but underparts even paler, heavier scalloping on lower throat and breast, tail narrowly tipped pale buff.

Systematics History

Formerly treated as conspecific with C. ruficauda, but differs in voice and in ventral plumage pattern. Two subspecies recognized.

Subspecies

Chamaeza turdina chionogaster

N Venezuela W of Yaracuy Depression in Aroa Mts and Coastal Range from Carabobo to N Miranda (Izcaragua).

Chamaeza turdina turdina

locally in W, C and E Andes of Colombia in middle Cauca Valley and upper Magdalena Valley, S to Serranía de los Churumbelos; also in Serranía de los Yariguíes (race unconfirmed).

Habitat

Humid to wet, mossy montane forest and forest borders. Mostly at 1400–2600 m; mainly 900–1700 m on N flank of coastal mountains of Venezuela, above C. campanisona in area of range overlap.

Diet and Foraging

Dietary details not documented, but thought to be much as for C. ruficauda. Walks and runs slowly on ground, as C. ruficauda.

Sounds and Vocal Behavior

Song 10–20 seconds long, a gradually rising (1·2–1·6 kHz) series of hollow notes at even pace (5 per second), slowly increasing in volume and pitch, then, after slight lowering of pace (4 per second), remaining level, or sometimes falling slightly at very end, very like song of C. meruloides but faster; excited song may be longer (up to 50 seconds), begin lower (1·0 kHz) and end higher (1·7 kHz), and with higher pace (up to 7 notes per second). Call a short “quick”, similar to calls of C. campanisona and C. meruloides but slightly lower-pitched (1·92 kHz) and with well-defined top pitch, and usually in series of 2 in rapid succession; at times 3-noted and running into gurgling, 4·5-second falling series of c. 15 notes (to 1·4 kHz).

Breeding

Breeds in May–Aug in coastal Venezuela; birds with enlarged gonads in May in Colombia (S Huila) and in May–Jun in Venezuela (Rancho Grande). No other details available.

Conservation Status

Not globally threatened. Restricted-range species: present in Cordillera de la Costa Central EBA and Colombian Inter-Andean Slopes EBA. Fairly common within both parts of its small range. In coastal mountains of Venezuela found in El Ávila, Macarao, Henri Pittier and San Esteban National Parks, and Pico Codazzi Natural Monument; and in Aroa Mts found in Yurubi National Park. In Colombia, occurs in Cordillera de los Picachos and Cueva de los Guácharos National Parks.

Fuentes: Wikipedia/eBird/xeno-canto/Birds of the world