Bare-headed rockfowl  (Picathartes gymnocephalus)

Biology

Feeding alone, the bare-headed rockfowl picks invertebrates from the forest floor and will often follow army ant colonies, which turn out vast numbers of insects and grubs as they march through the forest (3). During the breeding season this bird is known to feed on snails, as nests have been found with hundreds of empty snail shells on the ground beneath them (4). Breeding tends to take place in rocky areas such as on cliffs and cave roofs, but nests are also found in large fallen, hollow trees. Pairs congregate with between one and 40 other pairs (3) and construct semicircular nests from mud and plants that are fixed to an overhanging rock or branch. They are about 30 centimetres wide, 15 centimetres deep and 15 centimetres high (4) and will contain either one or two eggs (3). Breeding takes place after rainfall in lowland areas and so may occur twice yearly if the ‘little rains’ are strong enough (3).

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