The spotted antbird (Hylophylax naevioides) is a species of bird in the Thamnophilidae family. In southern Central America, it is found in Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama; also Colombia and Ecuador of northwestern South America. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.
A smallish bird, measuring 11 cm (4.3 in) and weighing 16–19.5 g (0.56–0.69 oz). The male spotted antbird’s plumage is a distinctive combination of large black spots on a white chest, chestnut back, grey head with black throat. The female is dull, but also distinctive with large chest spots and two wide buffy wing-bars.
Forages as individuals or pairs in lower levels of mature, humid forests. Found in lowlands and foothills up to 1,000 m (3,300 ft).
Spotted antbirds are known to follow army ant swarms to catch insects and other small animals trying to flee. They eat spiders, scorpions, cockroaches, katydids, crickets, centipedes, sowbugs, moths, beetles, caterpillars, ants, bristletails and, on occasion, lizards and frogs.
This bird is an open-cup nesting species that lays an average clutch of 2 maroon-splotched white eggs, which both adults incubate. The nestling period is 11 days.
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spotted antbird (Hylophylax naevioides)