<trp-post-container data-trp-post-id='359540'>Dusky-tailed Antbird

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En bref

  • Scientific Name: Drymophila malura
  • Spanish Name: Hormiguero sombrío
  • Family: Thamnophilidae
  • Known Nicknames: Dusky-tailed Antbird
  • Longueur moyenne : 13–14 cm / 5,1–5,5 pouces
  • Average Weight: 14–20 g / 0.5–0.7 oz
  • Envergure : N/A
  • Key Feature: Long, dusky tail with white tips on outer rectrices
  • Régime alimentaire principal : Insectivore
  • Range: Southeastern Brazil, eastern Paraguay, and northeastern Argentina
  • Habitat: Understory of humid Atlantic Forest and bamboo thickets
  • Structure sociale : Solitaires ou en couples
  • Nesting/Breeding: Cup-shaped nest built in low vegetation
  • Statut de conservation : Préoccupation mineure (LC)
  • Évolution démographique : En baisse

The Dusky-tailed Antbird (*Drymophila malura*) is a striking, medium-sized insectivore of South America’s Atlantic Forest, named for its most distinctive feature: a long, dusky-gray tail that it often cocks upward like a wren. Males are boldly patterned with a black throat and breast, white underparts, and a rufous crown, while females are more subdued in warm browns and buff, both sporting a sharp, pale eye-ring. A true skulker, this bird is more often heard than seen, delivering a series of sharp, descending whistles from dense bamboo thickets, where it forages acrobatically for insects and spiders. Its specialized association with bamboo makes it an excellent indicator species for healthy, undisturbed forest understory.

Faits amusants

Despite its name, the Dusky-tailed Antbird isn’t particularly dusky—males boast a striking black-and-white striped face and chest. It performs a bizarre “ant-following” behavior, not by chasing army ants itself, but by shadowing other antbird species like the White-shouldered Fire-eye to snatch insects they flush out, a kleptoparasitic tactic. Its tail is surprisingly stiff and often cocked upright, used as a tactile probe to flick through leaf litter for prey while keeping its body motionless.

Habitats et répartition

The Dusky-tailed Antbird is primarily found in the understory of humid montane forests and cloud forests, typically between 900 and 2,200 meters in elevation. It favors dense, tangled vegetation, often near bamboo thickets or along forest edges and streamsides. Its geographical range is restricted to the eastern slopes of the Andes in South America, occurring from southern Peru through central and western Bolivia, and extending into northwestern Argentina. The species is considered resident within this relatively narrow, altitudinally defined belt.

Comportements & Reproduction

The Dusky-tailed Antbird is a socially monogamous species, typically forming stable pairs that defend a territory year-round. Courtship involves the male following the female with a lowered crest, performing short flights, and uttering soft, buzzy calls. The pair builds a deep, cup-shaped nest woven from plant fibers and dead leaves, often suspended in a fork of a shrub or bamboo clump a few meters above the ground. Clutch size is usually two white eggs with reddish-brown speckling, incubated primarily by the female while the male provides food. A notable reproductive strategy is its reliance on bamboo-dominated understory, with nesting activity often synchronized to bamboo seeding events, which may increase food availability for chicks. Both parents feed the young, and fledglings remain dependent for several weeks, often staying within the family territory until the next breeding season.

Alimentation

The Dusky-tailed Antbird is an insectivorous species, primarily foraging for a variety of arthropods such as beetles, caterpillars, ants, and spiders. It typically hunts alone or in pairs, often following army ant swarms to capture prey flushed by the ants—a behavior known as ant-following, though it is not an obligate ant-follower. Interestingly, while it consumes ants, they are not its dominant food source; instead, it opportunistically snaps up other fleeing insects and arachnids. The bird forages mainly in the understory and on the ground, using quick hops and gleaning techniques to pick prey from leaf litter, bark, and low vegetation.

Couleurs

The Dusky-tailed Antbird has a brownish-gray back and wings, with a rufous crown and a long, dusky tail. Its underparts are pale gray with fine black streaks on the throat and breast, and it shows a white patch on the wing coverts. This streaky, muted pattern provides effective camouflage in the dappled light of its understory forest habitat.

Distribution Map

Places linked to this species. A sighting is never guaranteed.