Bird Guide

Common Scale-backed Antbird

Willisornis poecilinotus

Least ConcernInvertebratesForestCavity nestSmall · 18 g

About the Common Scale-backed Antbird

The common scale-backed antbird is a species of passerine bird in subfamily Thamnophilinae of family Thamnophilidae, the "typical antbirds". It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

ID tip

The common scale-backed antbird is 12 to 13 cm (4.7 to 5.1 in) long and weighs 15 to 22 g (0.53 to 0.78 oz). Adult males of the nominate subspecies W. p. poecilinotus are mostly gray; their upperparts are darker than their underparts. They have a white patch between the scapulars. Their lower back has white-edged black patches that give it its English name. Their wings and tail are black with white edges and tips on many feathers. Adult females have a reddish yellow-brown crown and face. Their upperparts are mostly olive-brown with buff-edged brownish black patches on the lower back. Voice: The common scale-backed antbird's songs are generally " a series...of long upslurred notes...with little space between them, each note rising in pitch and gaining in intensity, except final note or notes that decrease in intensity". The number of notes and some other features differ among individuals and also among the subspecies. In Venezuela it has been written as "pureeeee, pureeeee, pureeeee..

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

What the Common Scale-backed Antbird sounds like

Recording: Niels Krabbe · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via xeno-canto
Recording: Niels Krabbe · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via xeno-canto
Recording: Niels Krabbe · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via xeno-canto

Where the Common Scale-backed Antbird lives

Regular range

When to see the Common Scale-backed Antbird

Peak activity in July · a resident species across most of its range

Easily confused with

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