Diet and Foraging

Diet

Observational studies indicate that Streak-chested Antpitta is predominantly insectivorous, preferring terrestrial arthropods such as spiders and crickets (H.S. Pollock, unpublished data). Streak-chested Antpitta has also been documented feeding opportunistically on lizards (H.S. Pollock, unpublished data) and small frogs (Poulin et al. 2001; Figure 6) when insect abundance was low, although these were not a common prey item (only 1/6 individuals sampled in the study showed evidence of frog predation based on examination of stomach contents).

Quantitative analysis

There are no quantitative analyses of the diet of Streak-chested Antpitta in the literature.

Foraging microhabitat

Streak-chested Antpittas spend the majority of their time foraging in the leaf-litter.  A radio-telemetry study from central Panama found that 80% (68/86) of foraging observations occurred on the ground and 100% occurred below a height of 4 ft. (H.S. Pollock, unpublished data).

Food capture and consumption

Streak-chested Antpitta exhibits stereotyped foraging behaviors, searching for prey exclusively by leaf-tossing (flicking leaves aside with the beak to expose terrestrial prey) or probing (peering under leaves or visually searching substrates). It will also beat its wings towards the ground to rustle dead leaves and flush out flighty prey (SOURCE). Like other understory insectivores, Streak-chested Antpitta sometimes subdues larger prey by beating it against a hard surface (H.S. Pollock, personal observation).

Food selection and storage

There are no previous reports of food selection or food storage in Streak-chested Antpitta.

Metabolism and temperature regulation

In a study in central Panama (H.S. Pollock, unpublished data), Streak-chested Antpitta had a mean BMR of 0.36 W ± 0.07 sd (range: 0.29-0.42 W; n = 5 individuals); this is very low for a bird of its size and consistent with the idea that tropical birds have low mass-specific metabolic rates compared to temperate species (Wiersma et al. 2007). They also have relatively narrow thermoneutral zones (24.5-35 ° C; n = 4 individuals) (H.S. Pollock, unpublished data). Mean body temperature of two normothermic individuals measured during the day was 38.8 °C (H.S. Pollock, unpublished data).

Drinking, pellet-casting, and defecation

There are no reports of drinking behavior, pellet-casting or defecation in Streak-chested Antpitta.