Photo: Hector Bottai / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Rufous-backed Antvireo
Dysithamnus xanthopterus
Rufous-backed Antvireo (Dysithamnus xanthopterus) — 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 Rufous-backed Antvireo (Dysithamnus xanthopterus) is a member of the Thamnophilidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 16 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 Dysithamnus
- Species xanthopterus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 16 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Thamnophilidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Rufous-backed Antvireo 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 Rufous-backed Antvireo is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Rufous-backed Antvireo (Dysithamnus xanthopterus) is a member of the Thamnophilidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It is found across South America. Its distribution covers SA se Brazil.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 16 g, with a wing length of about 6.2 cm and a tail of around 5.3 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 44,000 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Rufous-backed Antvireo?
The Rufous-backed Antvireo is a small bird that weighs around 16 g.
Where does the Rufous-backed Antvireo live?
The Rufous-backed Antvireo is found across South America with a range covering SA se Brazil, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Rufous-backed Antvireo belong to?
The Rufous-backed Antvireo (Dysithamnus xanthopterus) belongs to the Thamnophilidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Rufous-backed Antvireo eat?
The Rufous-backed Antvireo is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Rufous-backed Antvireo migrate?
The Rufous-backed Antvireo is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Rufous-backed Antvireo 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 Rufous-backed Antvireo make?
1 real field recording of the Rufous-backed Antvireo — 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 Rufous-backed Antvireo's range?
The Rufous-backed Antvireo has a mapped global range of about 44,000 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.