Photo: Rick elis.simpson / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Scaled Antbird
Drymophila squamata
Scaled Antbird (Drymophila squamata) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South America.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Scaled Antbird (Drymophila squamata) is a member of the Thamnophilidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 10.8 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Thamnophilidae Antbirds
- Genus Drymophila
- Species squamata
Quick facts
- Weight
- 10.8 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Thamnophilidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Scaled Antbird is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Scaled Antbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Scaled Antbird (Drymophila squamata) belongs to the Thamnophilidae family of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across South America. Its distribution covers SA e, se Brazil.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 10.8 g, with a wing length of about 5.4 cm and a tail of around 5.2 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 340,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Scaled Antbird?
The Scaled Antbird is a very small bird that weighs around 10.8 g.
Where does the Scaled Antbird live?
The Scaled Antbird is found across South America with a range covering SA e, se Brazil, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Scaled Antbird belong to?
The Scaled Antbird (Drymophila squamata) belongs to the Thamnophilidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Scaled Antbird eat?
The Scaled Antbird is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Scaled Antbird migrate?
The Scaled Antbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Scaled Antbird endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Scaled Antbird make?
1 real field recording of the Scaled Antbird — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Scaled Antbird's range?
The Scaled Antbird has a mapped global range of about 340,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
Best Bird Feeders for Garden Songbirds
How to choose a bird feeder for garden songbirds — the feeder styles compared, the seed they prefer, where to hang it, and how to keep birds safe. A decision framework grounded in real data, with no mystery picks.
Meet the Thamnophilidae
A field guide to the Thamnophilidae family — 240 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.