The spot-backed antshrike is a species of bird in subfamily Thamnophilinae of family Thamnophilidae, the "typical antbirds". It is found in Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay.
Region
Atlantic Forest of Brazil, Paraguay, and northeastern Argentina
Typical Environment
Occurs in humid evergreen and semi-deciduous Atlantic Forest, including well-structured secondary growth and forest edges with dense understory. It favors vine tangles, bamboo patches, and thickets in the lower to mid-story. The species is patchy but can be locally common where continuous forest remains. It is non-migratory and maintains territories year-round within mature forest fragments.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1200 m
Climate Zone
Subtropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The Spot-backed Antshrike is a skulking Atlantic Forest specialist and the sole member of the genus Hypoedaleus. Pairs often keep contact with soft calls while moving through dense understory. It occasionally attends army-ant swarms but mostly forages independently by gleaning from foliage and dead leaves. Habitat loss and fragmentation in the Atlantic Forest affect its distribution, though it remains locally fairly common where forest persists.
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with low, direct dashes through dense cover
Social Behavior
Usually found in pairs that maintain year-round territories and move methodically through the understory. Nests are typically cup-shaped and placed low in dense vegetation; both sexes participate in incubation and care. It may occasionally join mixed-species understory flocks but more often forages alone or as a pair.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Delivers a series of clear, whistled notes that may accelerate or rise slightly in pitch, carrying well through forest understory. Pairs sometimes duet, with the female giving a softer, complementary phrase.
Plumage
Male is boldly patterned with a dark, spot-studded back and contrasting barred underparts; female is warmer rufous-brown with paler spotting and reduced barring. Both sexes show a slight crest and a stout, hooked bill typical of antshrikes.
Diet
Primarily takes insects and other arthropods, gleaned from leaves, vines, and dead leaf clusters. It probes tangles and bamboo stems and may sally a short distance to seize prey. Occasionally attends army-ant swarms to capture flushed invertebrates but is not an obligate follower. Small vertebrates are rarely taken.
Preferred Environment
Forages in dense understory and mid-story of humid forest, especially in areas with vine tangles and bamboo. It uses edges and secondary forest if sufficient cover is present, avoiding very open or heavily disturbed sites.
