The white-lined 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 and south-central Amazon Basin
Typical Environment
Occurs locally in lowland Bolivia, western Brazil, and Peru, chiefly along large white-water rivers such as the Ucayali, Amazon, Madeira, and Purus. It favors young river-island and floodplain habitats with cane brakes, Gynerium and Tessaria thickets, and early-successional Cecropia stands. The species keeps to dense understory near sandbars, levees, and edges of varzea forest. Because these habitats are short-lived, populations shift as vegetation matures or is reset by floods.
Altitude Range
0–500 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
A river-island specialist, the white-lined antbird thrives in dense, early-successional vegetation that forms on Amazonian sandbars and floodplains. Males are strikingly dark with crisp white wing lines, while females are warm rufous-brown—classic antbird sexual dimorphism. Its habitat is naturally ephemeral, shifting as rivers change course, so the species tracks new growth along dynamic river systems. It primarily gleans insects at low heights and only occasionally attends army-ant swarms compared to some relatives.
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats, low and direct over short distances
Social Behavior
Typically found in pairs that defend small territories year-round within dense riverside thickets. Nests are placed low in vegetation, with both sexes participating in incubation and chick-rearing. It seldom joins mixed-species flocks and tends to keep to cover.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A series of sharp, whistled notes that accelerate slightly and may rise then fall in pitch; often delivered from concealed perches. Calls include dry chips and scolds when agitated near the nest.
