Diet of crescentchests (Melanopareiidae) based on stomach content analysis

Melanopareia crescentchests (Melanopareiidae) comprise a poorly known family of skulking birds restricted to low gras and scrub habitats in South America. Almost nothing is known about the diet of the five members of this family, which is included in the Parvorder Furnariida, chiefly composed by insectivorous birds. In this paper, we present the results of stomach content analysis of 84 specimens belonging to the five recognized species of Melanopareia. Data were obtained from samples collected in Brazil and examined by us, as well as from labels of museum specimens obtained in Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Brazil. Our results showed that crescentchests are predominantly insectivorous, chiefly consuming beetles and ants, but that the importance of vegetable matter in their diets should not be dismissed. Crescentchests ingested grass seeds as well as fleshy fruits, and their role as seed dispersers is worth investigating.