Scaled Antbird

Scaled Antbird

Drymophila squamata

Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR Endemic
Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Rio de Janeiro

In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%

79 Verified sightings at Rio de Janeiro
342 In all 2 parks From 2019 to 2026
June Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Scaled Antbird

The scaled antbird (Drymophila squamata) is a species of bird in subfamily Thamnophilinae of family Thamnophilidae, the "typical antbirds". It is endemic to Brazil. Results of genetic testing hint that D. s. stictocorypha may be a separate species but data about possible differences in the vocalizations and ecology of the two taxa are scarce.

The scaled antbird is 12 to 14 cm (4.7 to 5.5 in) long and weighs 10.5 to 11 g (0.37 to 0.39 oz). Adult males of the nominate subspecies have a black crown with white spots along its side, a wide white supercilium, and a black stripe through the eye on an otherwise black-spotted white face. Their upperparts are black with white spots. Their wings are black and their wing coverts black with wide white tips. Their tail is barred with black and white. Their throat and underparts are white with black spots. Females have the same pattern but different colors than males. Their crown and eye stripe are dark brown. Their upperparts are dark brown with buff spots... Wikipedia →

Sounds

Song0:09

Brazil · 2025

© Daniel Hinckley · XC1038621 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Flight call1:28

Brazil · 2021

© Ciro Albano · XC618874 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Call0:17

Brazil · 2018

© Dante Buzzetti · XC613871 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Serra dos Órgãos National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
~20%
2 Tijuca National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
~10%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Rio de Janeiro 🇧🇷 Brazil
<5%
2 Santos 🇧🇷 Brazil
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Scaled Antbird in Rio de Janeiro?

Rare

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Scaled Antbird sighting in Rio de Janeiro on a given day, based on 79 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 136th most-seen of the 278 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 20%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Scaled Antbird in Rio de Janeiro?

June

In that month about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Scaled Antbird in Rio de Janeiro on a given day, against under 5% in July to May, the lowest months. That is one of Rio de Janeiro's driest months, with about 50 mm of rain against 230 mm in December.

What time of day is best to see a Scaled Antbird?

Between 8 and 11 am

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Scaled Antbird sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Rio de Janeiro the best place to see a Scaled Antbird?

Yes

Of the 2 cities where we can rate Scaled Antbird sightings, Rio de Janeiro has the highest daily chance: under 5%. Next come Santos (Brazil, under 5%).

Where does the Scaled Antbird sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Scaled Antbird is recorded against all the birds logged in Rio de Janeiro (79 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

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