Tepui Antpitta

Uncommon to fairly common by voice but, like all antpittas, hard to see — terrestrial and skulking in dense floor vegetation. A classic 'heard-everywhere, seen-with-effort' tepui target; persistence and playback discipline turn it into a memorable show.

Plump, near-tailless terrestrial antpitta ~16 cm. Dark chestnut-brown above with a small pale postocular spot; white chin and throat; underparts olivaceous-gray to gray with an olive-brown wash, and a whitish belly center. Several subspecies vary subtly (e.g. pacaraimae paler, duidae browner-breasted, guaiquinimae more olive). Long pinkish legs, upright stance.

Dense pre-montane rainforest and cloud forest on tepui slopes, and more open stunted forest on summits; ~600–2,400 m but mostly above 1,200 m. Favors mossy, dense floor vegetation.

Almost entirely terrestrial, foraging alone — hopping and running on the forest floor in dense mossy understory. Sings persistently from the ground or a low perch but is extremely shy; pishing rarely works, careful playback is the standard approach.

Song a deliberate, hollow, low-pitched series of ~6–7 (sometimes more) notes — 'whu-whu-whu-WU-hu-hu' — the first notes rising slightly and swelling in volume, the last 2–3 level in pitch; also a low, hollow rattle-trill. Recordings: search 'Myrmothera simplex' or 'Tepui Antpitta' on Xeno-canto and the Macaulay Library.

Set clients up with a low, clear ground-level sightline along a trail edge or stream gully, then use brief, well-spaced playback at dawn — overplaying shuts the bird down. It will often hop in along the floor and freeze; have everyone silent and pre-aimed at a chosen gap before you play.