Photo: Dario Sanches from São Paulo, Brazil / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Dusky-tailed Antbird
Drymophila malura
Dusky-tailed Antbird (Drymophila malura) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South America.
Found across 4 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Dusky-tailed Antbird (Drymophila malura) is a member of the Thamnophilidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 13 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 malura
Where it lives
Eastern Paraguay, northeastern Argentina and southern, southeastern Brazil
Quick facts
- Weight
- 13 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Thamnophilidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Dusky-tailed 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 Dusky-tailed Antbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Dusky-tailed Antbird (Drymophila malura) is a species of bird in the Thamnophilidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across South America. Its distribution covers SA e Paraguay, ne Argentina and s, se Brazil.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 13 g, with a wing length of about 5.5 cm and a tail of around 7.7 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 770,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Dusky-tailed Antbird?
The Dusky-tailed Antbird is a very small bird that weighs around 13 g.
Where does the Dusky-tailed Antbird live?
The Dusky-tailed Antbird is found across South America with a range covering SA e Paraguay, ne Argentina and s, se Brazil, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Dusky-tailed Antbird belong to?
The Dusky-tailed Antbird (Drymophila malura) belongs to the Thamnophilidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Dusky-tailed Antbird eat?
The Dusky-tailed Antbird is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Dusky-tailed Antbird migrate?
The Dusky-tailed Antbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Dusky-tailed 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 Dusky-tailed Antbird make?
1 real field recording of the Dusky-tailed Antbird — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Dusky-tailed Antbird's range?
The Dusky-tailed Antbird has a mapped global range of about 770,000 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.