The effect of local dominance and reciprocal tolerance on feeding aggregations of ocellated antbirds.

We studied ocellated antbirds (Phaenostictus mcleannani) to test the hypothesis that reciprocal tolerance between dominant individuals can favour feeding in aggregations. Mated pairs hold large non-exclusive feeding ranges, but roost and nest in a small portion of this range ('roosting area'); adjacent roosting neighbours are unrelated. Ocellated antbirds congregate to feed on arthropods fleeing from nomadic swarms of army ants that move across the ranges of many pairs.