Antthrushes

Antthrushes, part of the Formicariidae family, are small to medium-sized forest-dwelling birds native to tropical and subtropical regions of Central and South America. They range in length from 10 to 20 cm (4 to 8 inches), bearing a muted color palette of browns, blacks, and whites. Closely related to ovenbirds and tapaculos, antthrushes have a distinctive upright stance due to their long legs and reduced tails, adaptations that suit their predominantly ground-based insectivorous lifestyle. Both sexes share the incubation duties, laying two or three eggs in nests situated in trees. The family consists of 12 species split across two genera. Previous classifications were reconfigured based on molecular phylogenetics, with some species formerly placed here now reassigned to the gnateater and Grallariidae families. Antthrushes, while resembling small rails and walking like starlings, are not actually related to true thrushes.

Species Categories

African & New World Parrots Albatrosses Anhingas, Darters Antbirds Antpittas Antthrushes Austral Storm Petrels Barn Owls Black-capped Donacobius Caracaras, Falcons Cardinals & Allies Chachalacas, Curassows, Guans Chats, Old World Flycatchers Cormorants, Shags Cotingas Crescentchests Crows, Jays Cuckoos Dippers Ducks, Geese, Swans Finches, Euphonias Finfoots Flamingos Frigatebirds Gannets, Boobies Gnatcatchers Gnateaters Grebes Gulls, Terns, Skimmers Herons, Bitterns Hoatzin Hummingbirds Ibises, Spoonbills Jacamars Jacanas Kingfishers Kites, Hawks, Eagles Larks Limpkin Magellanic Plover Manakins Mitrospingid Tanagers Mockingbirds, Thrashers Motmots New World Barbets New World Quail New World Sparrows New World Vultures New World Warblers Nightjars Northern Storm Petrels Oilbird Old World Parrots Old World Sparrows, Snowfinches Oropendolas, Orioles, Blackbirds Ospreys Ovenbirds Owls Oystercatchers Painted-snipes Pelicans Penguins Petrels, Shearwaters, Diving Petrels Pheasants & Allies Pigeons, Doves Plovers Potoos Puffbirds Rails, Crakes & Coots Rheas Sandpipers, Snipes Sapayoa Screamers Seedsnipes Seriemas Sheathbills Skuas Starlings, Rhabdornis Stilts, Avocets Stone-curlews, Thick-knees Storks Sunbittern Swallows, Martins Swifts Tanagers & Allies Tapaculos Thrushes Thrush-tanager Tinamous Tityras, Becards, Sharpbill Toucan Barbets Toucans Trogons Tropicbirds Trumpeters Tyrant Flycatchers, Calyptura Vireos, Greenlets, Shrike-babblers Wagtails, Pipits Waxbills, Munias & Allies Waxwings Weavers, Widowbirds Woodpeckers Wrens

Birda Blog

A passionate photographer is outdoors, equipped with a top-notch camera for bird photography.

14 best cameras for bird photography

August 9, 2022

John White

A woman in a jacket birdwatching out in nature, looking at her phone and considering the best birding app.

11 of the best birdwatching apps in the UK

August 8, 2022

John White

A large flock of Red-necked Stints, a great bird to look for when learning how to start birdwatching.

How to start birdwatching – a helpful guide for beginners

January 18, 2022

John White

People looking at a sunset in a Top 10 Birdwatching Park in the US

The top 10 birdwatching parks in the USA

December 7, 2022

Sarah Cunningham

The Best US States For Birdwatching - map of USA with state names

The best US states for bird watching, a helpful illustrated guide

January 17, 2022

John White

Three people walking in nature in a highland, birdwatching and using one of the best free birdwatching apps

What are the best free birdwatching apps?

March 28, 2023

Will Hall

Children are outdoors, enthusiastically observing and admiring birds in their natural habitat.

12 of the best birdwatching apps in the USA

February 9, 2023

Sarah Cunningham

8x vs 10 x binoculars - person holding their pair in hand

Binoculars for birdwatching 8x vs 10x magnification

What Our Birders Say

EandB17

Terrific App for Birders

Downloaded Birda around the time my interest in birding was sparked, and it has been a terrific app to help me (1) share my experience, (2) document my sightings, and (3) learn more about birds in general. That said, I also believe Birda is a fantastic app for birders of all experience levels. Great community!

Madstherangers

A mordern game changer

Birda is an awesome app, its updated the world of birding to the modern day with a fun and easy to use app. It’s engaging and allows positive interaction with fellow bird lovers!

Nicole

Gets me outdoors more

I'm still loving this app. I use it most days & gets me outdoors more. Enjoying watching others progress and photo's, it's improved my wellbeing.... I love this app! I can keep a record of sightings and see what others have seen too.

Mike T

Sense of Community

A great app, which is continually being improved. What really comes through is the passion of those behind the app. The sense of community is brilliant, so much help and support provided to new and/or in experienced birders.

Paul F

Very good database

Highly recommend. It great that this app shows you male Vs female variations when posting. Very good database I'm really impressed.

Birdafan

Ideal Birdwatch Companion

Simply adds to the enjoyment of my birdwatching and helps me record what I’ve seen.

Carrie

Makes you want to spot birds more

I think this app is fun. It makes you want to spot birds more so I guess in a way it encourages you to get out and about instead of sitting in front of the TV.

JCBirding

Just what birding needs

We need more fun in birding, for years it has had a reputation for being up tight and stuffy and only perused by retirees and anoraks. Birda helps change that perception and firmly brings birding into the 21st century! Fun, interactive while still contributing to science and conservation. If you aren’t on it, why not??

D3Nature

Great app for learning Birds

I’ve been using the app for a couple of months and love it....Someone said it’s like a real life Pokémon Go for birds. They’re not far off! It’s something that the family can do that gets you out and about. Well worth downloading no matter your age.

Foxgirl100

Great app for beginner twitchers

I’ve had a passion of photographing birds for a long time now but have only just gotten into proper birdwatching, and this app is brilliant for those just getting started. There is a great sense of community among users and the app is very easy to use and professional. Awesome app altogether

As featured in