Animalia Life

Grallaria gigantea
TAXONOMY
Grallaria gigantea Lawrence, 1866.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
French: Grallaire gйante; German: Riesenameisenpitta; Spanish: Chululъ Gigante.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
One of the largest birds in family; 9.5 in (24 cm), with a black iris and tan eye-ring, heavy bill, and very short tail.
DISTRIBUTION
Sporadic, local
DISTRIBUTION
on the western slopes of the Andes Mountains in southwestern Colombia and western Ecuador.
HABITAT
Between 7,200 to 9,850 ft (2,200–3,000 m) in montane primary and mature secondary forest, and sometimes in rough pasture near forest.
BEHAVIOR
Nonmigratory pairs defend a breeding territory. Song of males is a series of quavering notes lasting about five seconds.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Forages for insects and other arthropods on or very close to the ground.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Monogamous pairs bond for life, typically lay two eggs, and share incubation and care of nestlings and fledglings.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Endangered. Very rare species surviving in only a few, isolated populations. Its surviving critical habitats must be protected against damages caused by economic development.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
No direct significance, except for the indirect economic benefits of bird-watching and ecotourism.

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