The band-tailed antbird is a species of bird in subfamily Thamnophilinae of family Thamnophilidae, the "typical antbirds". It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, and Peru.
Region
Western and central Amazon Basin
Typical Environment
The band-tailed antbird occurs along lowland rivers and oxbow lakes in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, and Peru. It favors seasonally flooded várzea and igapó forests, tangled river-edge scrub, and thickets on river islands. It keeps to dense understory and tangles within a few meters of the ground or water. Local distributions can shift with river dynamics and successional changes along sandbars and islands.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 600 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Despite its name, this antbird is not an obligate ant-follower and more often gleans insects in dense riverside thickets. Pairs maintain small territories along slow-moving Amazonian waterways and frequently duet. The bold white band at the tail tip is often flashed during short hops and pair communication.
Temperament
secretive and pair-territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with low, darting flights
Social Behavior
Usually found in pairs that skulk through river-edge thickets and maintain small linear territories. Pairs often engage in duets and coordinated foraging, keeping close visual contact. Nests are placed low in dense vegetation near water.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A series of thin, clear whistles and short churring phrases, often given antiphonally by a pair. Calls include sharp chips used for contact in dense cover.
