The yellow-breasted warbling antbird or yellow-breasted antwarbler, is a species of bird in subfamily Thamnophilinae of family Thamnophilidae, the "typical antbirds". It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, and Peru.
Region
Southwestern Amazon Basin
Typical Environment
Occurs in lowland evergreen forests of Bolivia, Brazil (especially Acre and Rondônia), and adjacent Peru. It favors terra firme and transitional forest with dense understory, including bamboo (Guadua) thickets and vine tangles. Birds forage near the ground and up to mid-understory, often along forest edges, streamside thickets, and old second-growth. It is generally absent from highly fragmented or open habitats but persists where understory remains dense.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 900 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
A recently recognized split from the Warbling Antbird complex, the yellow-breasted warbling antbird forms long-term pair bonds and often sings antiphonal duets. It forages low in dense understory, frequently in bamboo and vine tangles, and may attend army-ant swarms opportunistically. Its bright yellow breast and crisp wing spotting help separate it from closely related congeners.
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Usually found in pairs that maintain year-round territories in dense understory. Pairs perform coordinated duets and remain in contact with soft calls while foraging. Nests are typically placed low in shrubs or tangles, with both sexes participating in care.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A fast, musical series of clear whistles that accelerates into a warbling phrase; pairs often duet, with the female answering the male’s lead notes. Calls include soft chips and short whistles used to maintain contact in dense cover.
Plumage
Compact antbird with gray to olive-gray upperparts, bright yellow breast grading to buffy belly, and conspicuous small white spots or speckles on the wing coverts. Underparts are clean and unbarred, and tail is dusky with a slightly paler tip. Females are similar but can be slightly duller below.
Diet
Primarily small arthropods such as beetles, ants, spiders, and caterpillars, taken by gleaning and short sallies from low perches. It occasionally snaps prey flushed by mixed-species flocks and may attend army-ant swarms opportunistically, capturing insects fleeing the ants. Fruit consumption is rare to negligible.
Preferred Environment
Feeds within dense bamboo, vine tangles, and shaded understory between ground level and about 3 m high. Often works along streams, edges of thickets, and old second-growth where cover is continuous.
