Cajamarca Antpitta

Includes population designated cajamarcae in the analysis.

Diagnosis. Upperparts and throat reddish yellow-brown; breast paler, posteriorly with pale feather edges grading to a mix of buff and white on the belly and undertail coverts; pale eye-ring. Underparts of cajamarcae are the palest of all populations and separable in blind tests from neighboring populations. Short song is a slow-paced (~2 notes/sec), short (typically 5–6 notes) series of similarly shaped notes delivered at about the same frequency, which is a unique vocalization in the complex (Fig. 8). Notes may be slightly downslurred or flat and often lengthen and then shorten. Long song (Fig. 8) is a trill, similar to others in the complex but distinct in that peaks of the final notes rise in frequency, a character otherwise found only in long songs of G. cochabambae. The long song of G. cochabambae differs from that of G. cajamarcae in that peaks of initial notes decline in frequency, whereas peaks of initial notes of G. cajamarcae are constant in frequency.

Distribution. Endemic to Peru; in Andes of Piura, Cajamarca, and Lambayeque west of the Río Huancabamba and the upper Río Marañón, 2850–3400 m.

Plumage. Overall plumage of upperparts, including rectrices, remiges (primaries edged paler), crown and auriculars, dark reddish yellow-brown (7.5YR 4/4–5/4) with pale eye-ring and shading to color of underparts in malar area. Overall plumage of underparts light reddish yellow-brown (7.5YR 7/10–6/10) with pale feather edgings, becoming pale yellowish-buff (2.5Y 8/4) mixed with whitish in center of belly and undertail coverts; flanks dark yellowish-brown (10YR 4/4) (specimen photographs App. 6, Figs. A22 and A33).

Etymology. The English name reflects the scientific name and the geographic range of this species, which is primarily confined to Cajamarca, Peru. The name was also used by Krabbe et al. (2019).

Remarks. Grallaria cajamarcae is specifically distinct based on vocal characters, supported by plumage characters and mtDNA genetic distance of>5.5% with all other populations.