Photo: Hector Bottai / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Rusty-backed Antwren
Formicivora rufa
Rusty-backed Antwren (Formicivora rufa) — 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 Rusty-backed Antwren (Formicivora rufa) 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 Formicivora
- Species rufa
Quick facts
- Weight
- 10.8 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Thamnophilidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Rusty-backed Antwren is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Rusty-backed Antwren is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Rusty-backed Antwren (Formicivora rufa) belongs to the Thamnophilidae family of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across South America. Its distribution covers SA Amazonia, e Brazil and c SA.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 10.8 g, with a wing length of about 5.1 cm and a tail of around 5.6 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 4.1 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Rusty-backed Antwren?
The Rusty-backed Antwren is a very small bird that weighs around 10.8 g.
Where does the Rusty-backed Antwren live?
The Rusty-backed Antwren is found across South America with a range covering SA Amazonia, e Brazil and c SA, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Rusty-backed Antwren belong to?
The Rusty-backed Antwren (Formicivora rufa) belongs to the Thamnophilidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Rusty-backed Antwren eat?
The Rusty-backed Antwren is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Rusty-backed Antwren migrate?
The Rusty-backed Antwren is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Rusty-backed Antwren 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 Rusty-backed Antwren make?
1 real field recording of the Rusty-backed Antwren — 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 Rusty-backed Antwren's range?
The Rusty-backed Antwren has a mapped global range of about 4.1 million 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.