Scaled Antbird Drymophila squamata Scientific name definitions

Endemic to eastern Brazil, where it occurs from Alagoas to Santa Catarina, the Scaled Antbird is characterized by its striking black-and-white plumage in the male, while the female is clad in shades of brown, black, and white, although its pattern echoes that of her mate. The species is generally common in the understory of lowland and foothill evergreen forest, including second growth, from sea level to approximately 900 m. It seems to be much less dependent on bamboo thickets than some other Drymophila species. In some areas, the Scaled Antbird overlaps geographically and altitudinally with two congeners, the Ferruginous Antbird (Drymophila ferruginea) and Ochre-rumped Antbird (Drymophila ochropyga), but is easily separated from either species using both plumage and voice. Behavior seems broadly similar to that of other congeners, but in comparison to most of these species much more is known about the breeding ecology of the Scaled Antbird.

12–13 cm; 10·5–11·0 g. Male has black crown with white spots at side, broad white supercilium, black eyestripe; upperparts black, spotted white, wings black, wing-coverts broadly tipped white, tail black, barred white; head side, throat and underparts white, spotted black. Female is patterned like male, but upperparts dark brown and buff, flanks and crissum pale cinnamon. Race stictocorypha male typically differs from nominate in having spots on centre of crown, rear underparts darker grey, but these characteristics may overlap between races.

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Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Understorey of lowland and foothill evergreen forest and second-growth woodland, from sea-level to 900 m; in lowlands in S of range, but occurs higher in N (e.g. the only Drymophila found in highlands of Alagoas). In Serra da Ouricana (Bahia) also occurs in foothills with D. ferruginea and D. ochropyga, but those two species are restricted to bamboo thickets. The only member of genus not closely associated with bamboo, although degree of association may vary regionally. One study in coastal Bahia found nominate race to be a bamboo specialist, but is not associated with bamboo in foothills of Alagoas and Serra da Ouricana. Race <em>stictocorypha</em> often found in bamboo, but seemingly equally common in places that lack bamboo; in coastal lowlands of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, particularly common in poorly drained Heliconia thickets within forest and occurs in restinga woodland in sight of the ocean.

None recorded; presumed resident.

Little published. Feeds on variety of insects, probably also spiders. Closely associated pair-members, individuals, or family groups forage mostly 0–4 m above ground, sometimes to 6 m; mean foraging height in 267 observations was 2·3 m. Alone, or with mixed-species flocks of other insectivores. Active forager, progressing by short hops, separated by pauses of 0·5–2 seconds to scan for prey; maintains mostly horizontal posture, partially droops wings and habitually flicks them shallowly; clings laterally to slender vertical stems and vines, hitches its way up from side to side with each hop, or maintains single orientation for several consecutive hops before flitting to another stem or vine, eventually flies back down near ground and begins working its way back up. Forages in shaded interiors of trees, close to trunks with lots of hanging vines and philodendrons (Philodendron); also on or near ground in dense stands of broad-leaved herbaceous vegetation, and in shaded understorey with abundance of closely spaced, slender vertical stems. Works through fallen branches and mats of dead ferns, leaves and other organic debris on forest floor; also through mostly brown parts of bamboo thickets, and in crowns of understorey shrubs, palms and saplings. Forages along larger tree trunks by hitching up hanging vines, always within 30 cm of trunk, and gleaning from vine surfaces and leaves and petioles of philodendrons and other epiphytes. Most attack manoeuvres are perch-gleans to stem, vine and branch surfaces, less often to tops and bottoms of live leaves; gleans by reaching up, out or down with quick stabs of the bill, or by short, horizontal lunges; also makes frequent short (15–30 cm) sallies or hover-gleans, and even shorter jump-gleans to underside of overhanging vegetation; rarely scans or probes suspended dead leaves. Foregoing applies primarily to S populations. Nominate race in Alagoas seldom seen more than 0·3 m above ground, often hops on ground and makes jumping, nearly vertical sallies of 10–30 cm to undersides of large green leaves, almost in manner of an antpipit (Corythopis); also hitches up slender vertical stems and over fallen branches like S birds. All populations sally-glean more than do other Atlantic Forest congeners; in one study, 68% of attack manoeuvres by nominate race were gleans and 29% were sallies, compared with 59% gleans and 39% sallies for race stictocorypha. Nominate race occasionally follows army ants (Eciton burchelli); in six recorded instances in Bahia, foraging attempts over ants were short sallies to leaves or pecks at leaves and vines, and birds did not linger over slow-moving ants but, instead, circled away from them repeatedly.

Loudsong a series of 5–6 long notes with shorter spaces between them, delivered in c. 3·5–4 seconds, notes frequency-modulated and unclear, intensity and pitch usually increasing and then decreasing, note shapes variable, typically initial note rises in frequency and remaining ones downslurred. Calls may vary regionally, include abrupt “pip”, often repeated in doublet or rapidly 3–4 times, also short series of c. 4 notes on falling scale, and relatively high-pitched (e.g. 5·5 kHz), short (e.g. 0·6 seconds) rattle decreasing in pitch and intensity.

Four nests found: in Alagoas in Oct, in SE Bahia in Dec, and in São Paulo in Nov (two). In São Paulo, one described as a basket, external diameter 7·6 cm, external height 5·5 cm, constructed from leaves and fibres, decorated sparsely with moss around rim, lined with fibres and roots, a long woven strip of thin leaves and fibres (c. 5 times as long as nest height) attached to rear of nest perhaps as camouflage or decoration, tied to two parallel horizontal branches 40 cm up in small bush in thin undergrowth of restinga woodland; the other measured 9 × 6·2 cm, height 8·7 cm, made with green moss, dead bamboo leaves and strands of Marasmius, with large dead leaves hanging from it, placed 47 cm above ground on horizontal fork in shrub in 20-m rainforest; nests in SE Bahia (Dec) and Alagoas (Oct) also placed on horizontal fork and made of dead leaves (of Cyperaceae), green moss and Marasmius, but apparently not decorated with leaves, respective sizes 8·2 × 6·8 cm and 8 × 8 cm, heights 8 cm and 7·5 cm, and built 52 cm and 1·91 m above ground. At a São Paulo nest, clutch 2 eggs (one had hatched at time of discovery), whitish with brown blotches, in 1 day’s observation male contributed 67% of food delivered and brooded young 60% of daylight time, female brooded at night; in Alagoas and SE Bahia, eggs white, covered with wine-coloured spots and vermiculations; other eggs described as whitish, with flecks noted variously as dark cherry-brown, brownish-red and blackish.

Not globally threatened. Fairly common to common throughout most of its range. Regions in which species occurs include a number of protected areas, e.g. Murici Ecological Reserve, Sooretama Biological Reserve, Tijuca and Serra da Bocaína National Parks and Serra do Mar State Park. Probably most common at base of the Serra do Mar in lowlands of N São Paulo, particularly around Ubatuba; much of this area falls under the umbrella of Serra do Mar State Park, which, like many of the other Atlantic Forest reserves, would greatly benefit from more rigorous protection of its boundaries from hunters and wood-cutters. Continued protection of this park, and of other existing parks/reserves containing populations of this antbird, should ensure the long-term survival of the species.