Collared Crescentchest (Melanopareia torquata)
Collared Crescentchest, Emas, Goiás, Brazil, April 2001 - click for larger image Brazil

There has been, and still is, a bit of doubt as to the relationship of the crescentchests to other families. They have been placed with the antbirds as well as the ovenbirds but are now most commonly placed with the tapaculos.

Tapaculo is a name which comes from the Spanish and translates as "cover your arse" possibly something to do with their habit of raising their tail when nervous.

Collared Crescentchest, Emas, Goiás, Brazil, April 2001 - click for larger image The Collared Crescentchest is found mainly in the cerrado of central Brazil where it is more easily heard than seen as it tends to creep and hop along the ground in tall grass.

It is very distinctive with a long white supercilium, a broad black line through the eye and a pale yellow throat with a neat black "collar".

The second and third photos show the brown crown and rufous half collar round the back of the neck which distinguishes this species from the Olive-crowned Crescentchest (Melanopareia maximiliani)

Collared Crescentchest, Chapada Diamantina, Bahia, Brazil, July 2002 - click for larger imageThere is an illustration in Ridgely & Tudor , Volume 2, Plate 30.
Collared Crescentchest, Chapada Diamantina, Bahia, Brazil, July 2002 - click for larger image
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