### Identification The Rufous-tailed Antthrush (*Chamaeza ruficauda*) is a plump, long-legged terrestrial specialist that carries itself with a rail-like posture. Measuring roughly 19–20 cm, it is best identified by its rich olive-brown upperparts and its namesake: a distinctive, warm rufous wash on the rump and tail. Its underparts are striking, featuring a white base heavily decorated with bold, black "scalloped" streaks that reach down to the flanks. To tell it apart from the similar Short-tailed Antthrush, look for the *ruficauda’s* noticeably longer, redder tail and its cleaner, whiter throat.
### Habitat & Range This bird is a jewel of the Atlantic Forest, found exclusively in southeastern Brazil. It is a high-altitude specialist, haunting the cool, mist-clung montane forests and "cloud forests," typically between 600 and 2,200 meters. It thrives in primary forest where the canopy is closed and the ground is a labyrinth of moss-covered roots and damp leaf litter.
### Behaviour Observing this bird requires the stealth of a hunter. It is notoriously shy, preferring to walk rapidly across the forest floor with a rhythmic, vertical pumping of its tail. It rarely flies, choosing instead to vanish into the ferns if disturbed. Its presence is most often betrayed by its song—a haunting, hollow series of whistles that accelerate into a frantic, percussive blur, often described as a "ghostly laugh" echoing through the fog.
### Diet A dedicated leaf-litter forager, it uses its bill to flick aside damp leaves and debris. It preys on a variety of forest-floor invertebrates, including beetles, spiders, and insect larvae, occasionally following army ant swarms to snatch up fleeing prey.
### Fascinating Fact The Rufous-tailed Antthrush is an accidental ventriloquist! Because of the low-frequency, hollow tone of its song, it is incredibly difficult for human ears to pinpoint its location; you may feel like the bird is right at your feet when it is actually twenty yards away in the undergrowth.