The fulvous antshrike is a species of bird in subfamily Thamnophilinae of family Thamnophilidae, the "typical antbirds". It is found in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.
Region
Western Amazon Basin (Colombia–Ecuador–Peru)
Typical Environment
Occupies lowland and foothill rainforest, especially dense understory of terra firme and seasonally flooded (várzea) forests. Frequently uses vine tangles, heliconia, and bamboo patches where cover is thick. Occurs along forest edges and old secondary growth but prefers relatively intact habitat. Typically keeps within a few meters of the ground, moving methodically through shaded thickets.
Altitude Range
0–900 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
A skulking understory antbird of the western Amazon, the fulvous antshrike often travels in pairs and may join mixed-species flocks. It gives clear, whistled songs and is more often heard than seen in dense foliage. Like many antbirds, it occasionally follows army ants to capture flushed prey. Its warm tawny coloration helps it blend into leaf litter and shaded vine tangles.
Temperament
solitary and territorial, usually in pairs
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats; reluctant flier that hops and creeps through cover
Social Behavior
Mostly found as pairs that maintain territories in dense understory. Often accompanies mixed-species flocks, keeping low and to the interior vegetation. Nest is a small cup placed low in shrubs or saplings; both sexes likely share incubation and care of young.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Song is a series of clear, mellow whistles delivered from a concealed perch, sometimes accelerating slightly. Calls include sharp chips and soft contact notes between pair members.
Plumage
Overall warm fulvous to rufous-brown with slightly darker wings and tail; plumage appears smooth and unspotted, sometimes with faint dusky barring on the underparts or flanks.
Diet
Feeds primarily on arthropods, including insects such as beetles, orthopterans, and spiders. Methodically gleans prey from leaves, stems, and dead leaf clusters, and occasionally sallies to grab flushed insects. Will sometimes follow army ant swarms to snatch prey disturbed by the ants, though it is not an obligate ant-follower.
Preferred Environment
Forages in dense understory, vine tangles, and bamboo where visibility is limited. Often keeps within 0.5–3 m above ground and along shaded forest edges and trails.
