Inambari Woodcreeper Lepidocolaptes fatimalimae Scientific name definitions

Inambari Woodcreeper is a member of the Lineated Woodcreeper complex, all of which formerly were included in Lepidocolaptes albolineatus. Each subspecies of "Lineated Woodcreeper" proves to be both vocally and genetically distinct, and so all now are recognized as separate species. The population of "Lineated Woodcreeper" that occurs in southwestern Amazonia, however, had not previously been recognized as distinct, even at the level of the subspecies, and so was given a scientific name only as recently as 2013. The species name fatimalimae is in honor of Fátima Lima, the long time bird collections manager at the Goeldi Museum. Plumage differences between the species of the "Lineated Woodcreeper" complex are subtle, but Inambari Woodcreeper is more readily distinguished by its song, which is a soft trill, similar to the song of Guianan Woodcreeper Lepidocolaptes albolineatus, but with the song accelerating towards the end rather than maintaining a steady pace.

17–19 cm; 31·2–35·3 g. Relatively small, slim woodcreeper with slim, decurved bill, weakly marked upperparts, boldly streaked underparts; a typical member of the L. albolineatus complex, being most similar to L. fuscicapillus, from which it is distinguished by having slightly buffier breast and throat spotting, head and mantle concolorous and usually unspotted (if spots are present, they are small and indistinct), postocular stripes inconspicuous and interrupted, or entirely absent, and tips to breast spots are on average narrower and browner, rather than black. Distinguished from most others in genus by largely unmarked upperparts , and from Xiphorhynchus also by slim decurved bill , lack of streaking above but extensive streaking below. Male is slightly larger than female, but sexual dimorphism in plumage. Juvenile resembles adult, but upperparts darker, crown greyer with bolder spotting that extends weakly as streaks to upper back, streaking on underparts whiter, somewhat reduced, with weaker borders.

E Peru (San Martín and Loreto S to Cuzco and Madre de Dios), N & C Bolivia (E to Santa Cruz), and W Brazil S of R Amazon E to R Madeira (Acre, S Amazonas).

Primarily terra firme forest and floodplain-forest, less often swamp-forest or seasonally flooded forest; occurs in small numbers in shade-coffee plantations bordered by forest in Peruvian Andes. Prefers mature forest with tall canopy, older second growth, and forest edge; rarely, enters scrubby second growth. Unlike most Amazonian woodcreepers, a characteristic species of forest canopy. Mainly Amazonian lowlands, below 1000 m; exceptionally to 2225 m on E slopes of Peruvian Andes.

Presumably resident. Territory 8–14 ha in mature floodplain-forest in SE Peru.

Chiefly insectivorous. Most prey relatively small, but observed to take items up to 3 cm in length. Usually seen in pairs or singly among mixed-species flocks foraging in upper levels and canopy of tall forest; occurs in 30–60% of flocks encountered at some sites, and estimated to spend c. 80% of its time in flocks; affinity for canopy results in its presence in significantly more flocks lacking Thamnomanes antshrikes than in those led by them. Regularly forages near tops of tallest trees available; descends to subcanopy or mid-levels only on occasion (especially at edges), and rarely, if ever, to understorey. Obtains prey largely while hitching along large (often horizontal) branches in canopy, taking items from surface of both smooth and rough bark, or from crevices, knotholes and, occasionally, clusters of both live and dead vegetation; regularly creeps along undersides of limbs. Vast majority of prey taken by picking or flaking bark (nearly 90% in one study); sallies after flushed prey used only infrequently. Despite high degree of overlap in diet and substrate use with other gleaning woodcreepers, its preference for canopy results in few interactions; however, clearly subordinate to much larger X. guttatoides when they do meet.

Song, given intermittently, is a soft trill comprising 16–37 notes (typically 26–33), like that of a becard (Pachyramphus) that trails off at end, but is immediately distinguishable from other members of the L. albolineatus complex, with different note shape (an inverted U), mean number of notes and pace compared to L. duidae and races madeirae and layardi of L. fuscicapillus, but is more similar to L. albolineatus sensu stricto, from which the present species’ song is distinguishable mainly in note shape and frequency, although that of L. albolineatus tends to be given at a more uniform pace, as opposed to L. fatimalimae wherein the pace accelerates over the latter half with shorter inter-note intervals.

Practically unknown. Specimens in breeding condition in early Aug in E Peru (Loreto and Madre de Dios) and late Jul in SW Brazil (Acre); in non-breeding condition in mid Jul in N Bolivia. Nest in cavity in tree, but no details published. Clutch two white eggs, based on photograph from SE Peru (Manu National Park), but no further information.

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Poorly known owing to its preference for remaining well above ground; probably uncommon to fairly common throughout range, but generally occurs at low densities. Not only is it difficult to observe and very rarely captured in mist-nets at ground level, but its vocalizations are generally unremarkable and easily mistaken (especially within flocks in which it is usually associated). Densities in late-successional and mature floodplain-forest in SE Peru estimated at 5–5·5 pairs/100 ha. Believed to be dependent on forest, thus likely to be highly sensitive to habitat modification; disappeared from forests that had been selectively logged in preceding two years, and present only in much-reduced numbers even 8–12 years later.