Fun Jocotoco Antpitta Facts For Kids

Do you like reading about birds like the black-and-white warbler? If yes, then you will definitely enjoy reading about the jocotoco antpitta (Grallaria ridgelyi).

This bird was first discovered in 1997 in Ecuador. Current studies show that along with Ecuador, this bird is also found in Peru.

This plump and long-legged bird likes to live in a wet habitat. It is known for foraging on the forest ground either alone or in pairs.

Although people from all around the world have tried to see this bird by following its trail in known forest habitats, we are still yet to know a lot about its range or habitat area.

During its identification, the bird was placed in the order Passeriformes, family Grallariidae, and genus Grallaria. Unfortunately, like many other species in these forests, the jocotoco antpitta has an Endangered status because of its low population.

Keep reading to learn about the physical description of the jocotoco antpitta and other facts. For more relatable content, check out these cockatoo facts and palm warbler facts for kids.

Jocotoco Antpitta Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a jocotoco antpitta?

The jocotoco antpitta (Grallaria ridgelyi) is a passerine bird that was discovered in the year 1997. It belongs to the Passeriformes order, just like the rock sparrow.

What class of animal does a jocotoco antpitta belong to?

Similar to other birds, the jocotoco antpitta belongs to the class Aves. This species belongs to the order Passeriformes and to the family Grallariidae that is formed of antpitta variants. Among its five genus divisions, the jocotoco antpitta belongs to the Grallaria genus that contains 32 antpitta species.

How many jocotoco antpittas are there in the world?

After looking at the data, scientists have made the rough estimate that the total population of this bird species is around 250-999 individuals in the world. Roughly 150-700 of these birds are mature. When it comes to trends, references show that due to ongoing deforestation, the population of this Endangered bird is on the decline.

Where does a jocotoco antpitta live?

The area of the jocotoco antpitta range is said to be southeastern Ecuador and Peru. Previously, the only location you could see these birds were thought to be at the upper Chinchipe River drainage of Zamora-Chinchipe in Ecuador.

However, recently another site was also found at the Cordillera del Cóndor in Cajamarca, Peru. The Tapichalaca Biological Reserve was established in 1998. It is an area designed to protect these endangered birds so people can see them for many years to come.

What is a jocotoco antpitta's habitat?

The jocotoco antpitta (Grallaria ridgelyi) habitat is said to be mainly in wet montane forests and the bird prefers wet slopes that have an epiphyte coverage. This species is also said to prefer grounds covered with Chusquea bamboo.

Who do jocotoco antpittas live with?

The jocotoco antpitta (Grallaria ridgelyi) species of the family Grallariidae is mainly seen alone or in pairs. They're thought to look for food predominately on their own. However, as a bird that was only found in 1997, we are yet to know a lot of information about its social behavior.

How long does a jocotoco antpitta live?

We are yet to find any information on the lifespan of this species that was first seen in 1997.

How do they reproduce?

Not much information is available about the breeding habits of this species, but it's said that Chusquea bamboo bushes are preferred as its nesting site. Only one nest has been discovered and it was studied extensively in 2008.

The bird used decaying and dead plant materials to form the nest while the inner lining was found to be made with fern stems. This species chooses a nesting and breeding habitat that has good epiphyte coverage to provide shade to the nest.

By keeping an eye on this breeding site, researchers were able to understand that both parents take care of their chicks. Although not a lot of new hatchlings have been observed, previous data and images show that chicks are born with orangish skin. New information about jocotoco antpitta eggs is yet to be collected.

What is their conservation status?

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, the jocotoco antpitta (Grallaria ridgelyi) has been placed under the status of Endangered.

The population of these Passeriformes is drastically reducing and this is related to human intervention in their habitat.

At the same time, this species lives in a region that's prone to landslides, making it even more difficult for the bird population to thrive. Conservation techniques are being applied for better identification of its range and to stop the population from dropping even further.

The creation of the Tapichalaca Reserve along with the current reforestation drive of Fundación Jocotoco will support the recovery of this bird and gives us hope that this Endangered species will survive in the world.

Jocotoco Antpitta Fun Facts

What do jocotoco antpittas look like?

When it comes to seeing this small bird that was first discovered in 1997, most people are awestruck by its plump body. References describe its size as similar to that of a grapefruit and you will surely find it top-heavy, with slender gray legs and feet.

When it comes to the jocotoco antpitta feathers, it's a predominantly gray-looking bird and you will find a beautiful dark gray or black cap on its head. There's a beautiful brownish-olive tinge to its wings as well as gray feathers on its wings that give it a nice pattern.

The bird's undersides are a mix of white and gray. You will notice that there are white patches of feathers under the bird's eyes as well as under its beak.

It has a predominantly black bill and brown eyes. Males and females of this species look similar in appearance.

How cute are they?

These birds, belonging to the Grallariidae family, are extremely cute and adorable. This is largely because of the jocotoco antpitta appearance that is quite fluffy.

How do they communicate?

This bird species was discovered in 1997 and during identification, was named after its call. It's said that the bird makes a 'ho-co' song.

At times this song can be double noted and sound like 'hoó-krrr' or 'hoó-có-kurr'. After listening to the audio of its call, some have even commented that the sound is similar to that of a rufous-banded owl. Apart from this vocal sound, the species can also make a whooshing sound when agitated adult birds move along the forest floor.

How big is a jocotoco antpitta?

Even though this species is described as small, it is large compared to other Passeriformes. And, because of its plump body, it also appears large to people when they first encounter these birds.

The average jocotoco antpitta (Grallaria ridgelyi) size range is around 7.9-9 in (20-23 cm). Compared to this bird, the willow warbler is small with an average body size range of 4.3-5.1 in (11-13 cm).

How fast can a jocotoco antpitta fly?

Much like the lack of information on the social behaviors of this bird, we are yet to find any information about the flying speed of this bird as well as about the average jocotoco antpitta wingspan. Most people who have seen these birds have mainly found them roaming or foraging on the forest floor.

How much does a jocotoco antpitta weigh?

The average weight range of this small bird is thought to be around 5.3-7.1 oz (150-200 g).

What are the male and female names of the species?

There are no separate names for the jocotoco antpitta male and the jocotoco antpitta female of this species.

What would you call a baby jocotoco antpitta?

A jocotoco antpitta baby is called a chick.

What do they eat?

It's known that the diet of this species mainly consists of worms. However, there is not a large amount of information available about the feeding behavior of this species.

Generally, the bird forages on the forest floor by poking with its sharp bill. When the stomach content of several birds was inspected, it mainly consisted of beetles, ants, and millipedes. The bird helps to maintain the ecosystem of its area by munching on insects and worms and this helps to keep the food cycle balanced.

Are they dangerous?

These small cute birds of the Grallariidae family aren't dangerous to anyone. In fact, many human activities have instead disrupted the life of this beautiful species.

Would they make a good pet?

As this is an endangered bird species, you cannot keep these birds as pets.

Did you know...

The chestnut-naped antpitta and the pale-billed antpitta are known to be the closest relatives of the jocotoco antpitta bird species and these birds all belong to the same Grallariidae family.

Even though not much is known about these Endangered birds, including about their social and feeding behaviors, the available data suggests that the jocotoco antpittas aren't migratory in nature.

Are jocotoco antpittas endangered?

Yes, the jocotoco antpitta (Grallaria ridgelyi) has been declared as an Endangered species. The main reason behind this is the loss of habitat due to human activities such as logging and gold mining. Although it is Endangered, we don't know a lot about this bird as it was only discovered in 1997.

How did jocotoco antpittas get their name?

The name 'jocotoco' is taken from the repetitive calls made by these antpittas and its scientific name 'ridgelyi' honors Dr. Robert Ridgely. Dr. Robert Ridgely was the man who discovered the bird.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about other birds by exploring these black cuckoo surprising facts and common swift interesting facts pages.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable green catbird coloring pages.

Second image by Francesco Veronesi.