Appearance

Streak-chested Antpitta is a monomorphic, medium-sized antpitta species with a gray crown, prominent buffy eyering, heavy black streaking on the breast, and buffy spotted wing bars (Garrigues and Dean 2007) (Figure 1).

Like most other species in the antpitta family (Grallariidae), Streak-chested Antpitta can be distinguished from other understory birds by its characteristically short, stubby tail. Its song is a slow, plaintive series of clear whistles, initially increasing in pitch and then slowing down and decreasing in pitch at the end. 

The combination of short tail, long legs and terrestrial habits makes Streak-chested Antpitta easily recognizable as member of the family Grallariidae. Within its range, Streak-chested Antpitta is superficially similar to two other antpitta species, the congeneric Thicket Antpitta (Hylopezus dives) and Scaled Antpitta (Grallaria guatimalensis), but can be distinguished from both species by its wide buffy eyering, heavily streaked breast, and buffy spotting on the wings. Thicket Antpitta also has a more ochraceous breast and cinnamon-rufous flanks, while Scaled Antpitta has white malar streaks and a dark brown breast (Angehr and Dean 2010). Additionally, both species inhabit higher elevations than Streak-chested Antpitta. Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla), a migratory terrestrial warbler, could be confused with a Streak-chested Antpitta but has a much longer tail, white eyering, and bright orange crown.

Streak-chested Antpitta is a medium-sized (ca 45 g, ca 125-140 mm body length) antpitta. Individuals of this species have the long legs and stubby tails characteristic of the antpitta family Grallariidae, but can be distinguished from other antpittas by the combination of gray cap, prominent yellow eyering, and white breast with black streaking. The descriptions below refer to adult individuals that already have attained basic plumage. Juveniles have mostly chestnut upperparts, slightly paler chestnut-rufous underparts mixed with buff on the belly, and wing-coverts with buff tips and rufous edges (Stiles and Skutch 1989).

Head

Streak-chested Antpitta has a gray cap that extends from just above the lores to the back of the head. The gray feathers at the back of the head are sometimes lightly streaked with yellow. The eye is surrounded by a complete pale yellow eyering (Figure 2).

The color of the iris is dark brown. The throat feathers vary in coloration from buffy to white and there is a black submoustachial stripe that extends from the base of the bill to the back of the head. Variable degrees of yellow feathers are located above and below the submoustachial stripe and also above the bill near its base. This species possesses rictal bristles on both the posterior and anterior edges of the eyering; the posterior bristles tend to be slightly more developed.

Body

Back feathers are brown with gray bases (Figure 3).

Very little information is available on molt patterns in Streak-chested Antpitta. Given the patterns described in other species of antpitta (Ryder and Wolfe 2009), however, it probably exhibits a Complex Basic Strategy, in which a single molt (traditionally termed first prebasic) or two molts are added into the first cycle but no homologous molt(s) occur in subsequent cycles (Howell et al. 2003). Neither the ontogeny (e.g. the timing of molt throughout maturation) nor the phenology (e.g. time of year at which molt occurs) of molt has been described in Streak-chested Antpitta.

Streak-chested Antpittas have a bicolored bill, with a slate gray culmen and a pale gray to pink lower mandible. The toes and tarsi are pale gray and the irises are dark brown.