The white-masked antbird is a Near Threatened species of bird in subfamily Thamnophilinae of family Thamnophilidae, the "typical antbirds". It is endemic to Peru.
Region
Peruvian Amazon (Western Amazon Basin)
Typical Environment
Occurs in lowland evergreen rainforest of the southeastern Peruvian Amazon, primarily in terra firme and adjacent seasonally flooded forests. It keeps to the shady understory and forest floor, where it follows columns of army ants. The species is most often detected at ant swarms rather than away from them, and it may also use bamboo thickets and dense secondary growth locally. Suitable habitat is patchy where forests have been logged or converted.
Altitude Range
100–900 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The white-masked antbird is a specialist follower of army ant swarms, snatching insects and other small arthropods flushed by the ants. Males show a striking white facial mask contrasted with a chestnut body, making them distinctive in the dim rainforest understory. It is endemic to Peru and assessed as Near Threatened due to ongoing habitat loss and fragmentation.
Temperament
skulking and wary
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with brief low glides
Social Behavior
Usually encountered singly or in pairs, concentrating around active army ant swarms with other ant-following birds. Pairs defend small areas around favored swarms and maintain contact with soft calls. Nesting is low in dense understory; the species is presumed monogamous with both sexes contributing to care.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Voice includes sharp chips and a clear, slightly descending series of whistles delivered from low perches. At swarms it gives frequent contact notes and scolds, while dawn song is more musical and spaced.
Plumage
Dense, sleek understory-type plumage with a striking contrast between the pale facial area and darker, rich chestnut body. Feathers are smooth rather than fluffy, aiding silent movement through dense vegetation.
Diet
Primarily takes insects and other arthropods such as beetles, crickets, spiders, and larvae flushed by columns of army ants. It occasionally snaps up small vertebrates like tiny lizards if available. Prey is taken by quick sallies to the ground or low foliage and by short dashes after fleeing insects.
Preferred Environment
Feeds on or near the forest floor in dense understory, especially at active army ant swarms. Often uses tangles, buttress bases, and fallen logs as vantage points to pounce on flushed prey.
