Cordillera Azul Antbird Myrmoderus eowilsoni

One of the most remarkable discoveries of 2016 was that of a new population of Myroderus antbird in the Cordillera Azul of north central Peru. The birds in Peru most closely resemble Ferruginous-backed Antbird (Myrmoderus ferrugineus) of the Guianan region and central Amazonian Brazil, but differ in plumage and song. As a result, this antbird was described as a separate species, Cordillera Azul Antbird. Both sexes of Cordillera Azul antbird are rufous above, bare bluish orbital skin and a moderately long tail; the wing coverts are black, tipped with buff. The male has black auriculars, sides of the neck, and underparts; the female also has black auriculars, but the throat is white, the breast is rufous, and the belly is dark brown. Currently Cordillera Azul Antbird is known only from the type locality, but presumably it is more widely distributed within the Cordillera Azul. Cordillera Azul Antbird is terrestrial, and apparently occurs only within tall, evergreen, lower montane forest, and usually is encountered in pairs. Otherwise very little is known about the biology of the striking antbird.