Antpittas

These earth-toned ground birds of Neotropical undergrowth are far more often revealed by their whistled calls than by direct observation. Standing erect on long legs and sporting very short tails, they move through the forest with flexible hops, pausing to toss litter aside in search of their insect prey. Their common name is appropriate only to a point: antpittas have a body profile and habits that are convergent with the Old World pittas, but no antpittas appear to have a particularly strong association with ants. Most aspects of their biology remain mysterious, and, with reports of chicks that feign death when discovered by predators in the nest and mock-injured distraction displays in the parents, there is much more to learn about these distinctive birds.