Drymophila genei
The Rufous-tailed Antbird, *Drymophila genei*, is a captivating member of the antbird family (Thamnophilidae), exclusively found within the fragmented Atlantic Forest biome of southeastern Brazil. This medium-sized antbird measures approximately 13-14 cm (5-5.5 inches) in length, distinguished by its strikingly rufous tail, which is consistently cocked. Males exhibit a bold plumage featuring a black crown, a prominent white supercilium, and a contrasting black throat and upper breast, which f...
Primarily inhabits the dense understory, bamboo thickets, and tangles within humid montane and lowland Atlantic Forest, typically found at elevations between 800 and 2000 meters.
Strictly insectivorous, feeding primarily on a variety of arthropods such as beetles, orthopterans (grasshoppers, crickets), and spiders, which they expertly glean from foliage and branches.
This antbird is a notoriously skulking and secretive species, typically observed alone or in pairs, often forming part of mixed-species foraging flocks. It forages by hopping and creeping silently through dense low vegetation, meticulously gleaning insects from foliage, twigs, and bark. They are ...
The Rufous-tailed Antbird is strictly endemic to the Atlantic Forest biome of southeastern Brazil, a region recognized for its high biodiversity. Its distribution extends longitudinally from the state of Espírito Santo southward through Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Paraná, Santa Catarina, and reach...
Least Concern
- Despite its genus name, it does not follow army ant swarms for foraging like some other antbird species. - Its scientific name, *genei*, honors Carlo Géné, an Italian entomologist and naturalist. - The Rufous-tailed Antbird is an "Atlantic Forest endemic," meaning it is found nowhere else in th...