Goeldi's antbird is a species of bird in subfamily Thamnophilinae of family Thamnophilidae, the "typical antbirds". It is found in Bolivia, Brazil and Peru.
Region
Western Amazon Basin
Typical Environment
Occurs in the lowland rainforests of western Brazil (e.g., Acre and southwestern Amazonas), eastern Peru (Loreto, Ucayali, Madre de Dios), and northern Bolivia (Pando). It favors terra firme and seasonally flooded forest where Guadua bamboo is abundant, including edges and gaps. The species keeps to dense understory and vine tangles, often within bamboo patches in both primary and older secondary forest. It is typically found near small streams and forest interiors with thick ground cover.
Altitude Range
0–800 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Goeldi's antbird is a bamboo-specialist of the western Amazon, keeping to dense thickets where it forages close to the ground. Pairs often duet, with coordinated male and female songs that help maintain territory in dark understory. It may occasionally attend army-ant swarms but is not an obligate follower. The species commemorates the Swiss–Brazilian naturalist Emil Goeldi.
Temperament
skulking and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats, low through dense understory
Social Behavior
Usually found in pairs or small family groups that maintain year-round territories. Nests are placed low in dense vegetation; both sexes likely participate in care. It joins mixed-species flocks only infrequently, focusing instead on quiet, methodical foraging within bamboo.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
The song is a clear, whistled series with the male giving sharp, ringing notes that the female may answer in a coordinated duet. Calls are soft chips and tchks used to keep contact in thick cover.
