Behaviour This species is non-migratory, although some populations may make local movements in disturbed and unusually dry habitats (del Hoyo et al. 1996). The timing of the breeding season is poorly known, but in most areas the species breeds during the rains (del Hoyo et al. 1996) in permanent territories held by solitary nesting pairs or family groups (del Hoyo et al. 1996, Taylor and van Perlo 1998). The species forages diurnally, its activity peaking in the early morning and late afternoon (del Hoyo et al. 1996, Taylor and van Perlo 1998). Habitat The species requires areas of leaf-litter, mud, sand, gravel or shallow water covered with dense vegetation in which to forage, and is usually found associated with forest swamps, streams, pools and riverbanks in lowland rain forest (del Hoyo et al. 1996, Taylor and van Perlo 1998). It may also occur up to 400 m away from water on the forest floor (Urban et al. 1986), and although it is rarely found deep inside primary forest, it may follow rivers and streams out into gallery forest, dense thickets of scrubby growth and neglected cultivation, exceptionally being found in papyrus and other vegetation by lakes (Urban et al. 1986, del Hoyo et al. 1996, Taylor and van Perlo 1998). The species is well adapted to forest disturbance, often remaining along forest streams after forest clearance, and successfully colonising cleared areas and secondary growth as long as suitable cover remains or develops (Taylor and van Perlo 1998). Diet Its diet consists chiefly of invertebrates such as insects (including ants, beetles, Hemiptera, flies and small moths), aquatic and terrestrial insect larvae (e.g. those of chironomids, mayflies, beetles and Lepidoptera), earthworms, nematodes, small leeches, small gastropods, myriapods and spiders, occasionally also taking small frogs and vegetable matter (del Hoyo et al. 1996, Taylor and van Perlo 1998). Breeding site The nest is a mound of dead leaves placed by forest pools, on damp forest floors, or on rotten tree roots standing in shallow swamp water (del Hoyo et al. 1996, Taylor and van Perlo 1998).