Gnateaters (Conopophagidae)
Black-cheeked Gnateater (Conopophaga melanops) - HBW 8, p. 745
French: Conophage à joues noires
German: Rotscheitel-Mückenfresser
Spanish: Jejenero Carinegro
Taxonomy: Platyrhynchos melanops Vieillot, 1818, South America; restricted to near Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
See page 735. Possibly closest to C. aurita. Races not clearly defined either morphologically or geographically, and taxonomy confused. Contrary to some published statements, black frontal band of male present in all populations; this band perhaps tends to be broader in N than in S, but very variable even at a single locality, and so unreliable for any taxonomic diagnosis; also, variation in other plumage characters, e.g. presence of spots on wing-coverts or extent of grey or white in underparts, shows no apparent geographical pattern. Race perspicillata possibly not tenable. Fu.. View all taxonomy...
See page 735. Possibly closest to C. aurita. Races not clearly defined either morphologically or geographically, and taxonomy confused. Contrary to some published statements, black frontal band of male present in all populations; this band perhaps tends to be broader in N than in S, but very variable even at a single locality, and so unreliable for any taxonomic diagnosis; also, variation in other plumage characters, e.g. presence of spots on wing-coverts or extent of grey or white in underparts, shows no apparent geographical pattern. Race perspicillata possibly not tenable. Further study, especially of long series of specimens, needed in order to clarify situation. Three subspecies provisionally recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution:
- nigrifrons Pinto, 1954 - coastal NE Brazil from Paraíba S to Alagoas.
- perspicillata (M. H. K. Lichtenstein, 1823) - coastal Bahia; recent records in adjacent Sergipe, to N, presumably of this race.
- melanops (Vieillot, 1818) - SE Brazil from Espírito Santo S to Santa Catarina.
- Least Concern Enlarge map
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A bird moving in the understorey Locality Guapi Açu Ecological Reserve (REGUA), Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil (ssp melanops)
Josep del Hoyo 13 July 2007 4 years ago 34 sec 4.1 -
An adult preening itself Locality Mata do Estado, Pernambuco State, Brazil (ssp nigrifons)
Adrian Long 31 October 2001 7 years ago 25 sec 3.7 -
A bird perched on top of a trunk Locality Serra dos Tucanos Lodge, Tres Picos State Park, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil (ssp melanops)
Keith Blomerley 15 September 2005 4 years ago 23 sec 3.4
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Lateral view of a perched male
Locality Itatiaia National Park, Brazil
Chris and Megan Perkins 20 November 2010 1 year ago 4 -
Black-cheeked Gnateater perched
Locality Blumenau, Santa Catarina State, Brazil
Michael Fritzen 8 April 2008 43 weeks ago 3.4 -
A bird on a branch.
Locality Volta Velha Reserve, Itapoá, Santa Catarina State, Brazil (ssp conopophagidae)
beto vieira 11 July 2009 2 years ago 3
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Alarm calls from a female. Locality Guapi Açu Ecological Reserve (REGUA), Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil
(ssp melanops)
Bradley Davis 16 May 2006 2 years ago 3
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