The chestnut-crowned antpitta (Grallaria ruficapilla) is a species of bird in the family Grallariidae. It is found in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.
Taxonomy and systematics
The chestnut-crowned antpitta has these seven subspecies:
G. r. ruficapilla Lafresnaye, 1842
G. r. perijana Phelps, WH & Gilliard, 1940
G. r. avilae Hellmayr & Seilern, 1914
G. r. nigrolineata Sclater, PL, 1890
G. r. connectens Chapman, 1923
G. r. albiloris Taczanowski, 1880
G. r. interior Zimmer, JT, 1934
What is now Watkins's antpitta (G. watkinsi) was previously a subspecies of the chestnut-crowned antpitta. The two form a superspecies.
Description
Grallaria antpittas are a "wonderful group of plump and round antbirds whose feathers are often fluffed up...they have stout bills very short tails". The chestnut-crowned antpitta is 18 to 23 cm (7.1 to 9.1 in) long and weighs 70 to 98 g (2.5 to 3.5 oz). The sexes have the same plumage. Adults of the nominate subspecies G. r. ruficapilla have a rufous crown, nape, and face. Their back, rump, tail, and wings are olivaceous. Their throat, breast, and belly are white with ochraceous edges on some breast feathers and olivaceous and blackish streaks on their sides and sometimes their breast.
The other subspecies of the chestnut-crowned antpitta differ from the nominate and each other thus:
G. r. perijana: somewhat heavier and darker streaking on the breast than the nominate, though less so than avilae and nigrolineata; ochraceous-orange cast to breast and upper belly
G. r. avilae: heavier and darker streaking on the breast than the nominate, with brighter crown and nape and paler greenish olive upperparts
G. r. nigrolineata: heavier and darker streaking on the breast than the nominate
G. r. connectens: lighter upperparts than nominate, with whitish lores, olivaceous cast to flight feathers and more fulvous underparts with less heavy streaking
G. r. albiloris: like the nominate but with white lores and "moustache" and...
