The hooded gnateater is a species of bird in the family Conopophagidae. It is endemic to northern Brazil.
Region
Eastern Amazon Basin
Typical Environment
Endemic to northern Brazil, primarily east of the lower Amazon in Pará and Maranhão. It inhabits terra firme and secondary lowland evergreen forests, especially dense vine tangles, bamboo patches, and thickets along edges and clearings. The species keeps to the shaded understory, typically within a few meters of the ground. It tolerates some disturbance but declines where understory structure is removed.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 600 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The hooded gnateater is a shy understory insect-hunter that rarely ventures far from dense thickets, making it easier to hear than to see. Males show a striking dark hood that contrasts with warm rufous-brown body tones, while females are duller and lack the full hood. It forages low, gleaning and making short sallies to snap up insects. Although locally affected by forest loss, it is not currently considered globally threatened.
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats, low and direct through understory
Social Behavior
Usually encountered singly or in pairs, maintaining small territories in dense understory. Pairs communicate with soft calls and may duet. Nests are typically cup-shaped and placed low in shrubs or vines; both sexes likely share parental duties.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A series of clear, whistled notes delivered from a low perch, often accelerating or slightly rising in pitch. Calls include soft chips and trills used for contact between mates. The song carries modestly through dense foliage but is easily localized at close range.
Plumage
Male with a distinct dark hood and contrasting rufous-brown upperparts and warmer underparts; female is browner overall with a buffy face and lacks the full hood. Both sexes have compact bodies, rounded wings, and a short tail suited to maneuvering in dense cover.
Diet
Feeds primarily on small arthropods such as ants, beetles, spiders, and other insects. It gleans from leaves, twigs, and vine tangles and also makes short sallies to snatch prey from the air or ground. Opportunistic hovering to pick prey from foliage is common in dense cover.
Preferred Environment
Dense understory of terra firme and secondary forests, especially vine tangles, bamboo, and regenerating edges. Often forages within 0.5–3 m of the ground where cover is thick.
