The black-tailed antbird is a Near Threatened species of bird in subfamily Thamnophilinae of family Thamnophilidae, the "typical antbirds". It is found in Brazil, Colombia, and Peru.
Region
Western Amazon Basin
Typical Environment
Occurs in lowland forests of Brazil, Colombia, and Peru, favoring dense understory near rivers and seasonally flooded forests. It uses vine tangles, young secondary growth, and river-edge thickets where cover is abundant. The species forages close to the ground, often in leaf litter or near fallen logs. It tolerates some disturbance but depends on continuous patches of shrubby understory.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 500 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The black-tailed antbird is a skulking understory species of western Amazonia, typically staying close to the ground in dense thickets. It often flicks its tail while foraging and may opportunistically attend army-ant swarms to snatch flushed insects. Males are slate-gray with a distinctly dark tail, while females are browner and more cryptic. Habitat loss and degradation along Amazonian river systems pose ongoing pressures.
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats, low and direct
Social Behavior
Typically found singly or in pairs that maintain and defend small territories. Nests are placed low, often in dense shrubs or near the ground. Pairs communicate with duets and stay in close contact while foraging.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Song is a short series of sharp notes accelerating into a dry trill. Calls include sharp chips and scolds given from cover, especially when alarmed.
Plumage
Male mostly slate-gray with a distinctly blackish tail and contrasting pale wing bars; female brownish-olive above with buffy underparts and a darker tail. Both sexes have compact, smooth plumage suited to moving through dense understory.
Diet
Primarily consumes arthropods such as beetles, ants, spiders, and caterpillars. It gleans from leaves and twigs, probes bark crevices, and snaps prey from the ground. The species occasionally attends army-ant swarms to capture flushed insects.
Preferred Environment
Forages in dense understory of riverine and seasonally flooded forests, vine tangles, and secondary growth. Often works along edges, fallen logs, and patches of leaf litter where prey density is high.
