North-western Colombia along northern base of Andes from Córdoba (upper R Sinú) east to Santander, and southern on both slopes of Magdalena Valley to northern Tolima on western side and to western Santander (south-west of Bucaramanga and north of San Vicente), western Boyacá (including Reserva El Paujíl, in Serranía La Quinchas) and northern Cundinamarca on eastern side.
Population
Estimated population is unknown (2010) and decreasing.
Status NT
Habitat destruction, degradation and frgamentation through clearance for agriculture and gold mining are the main threats.
For more information see BirdLife International Species Factsheet.
Habits
In pairs or small family groups following swarms of army ants or joining mixed-species flocks.
Sooty Ant Tanager (Habia gutturalis) [XC154899]
by Peter Boesman from Reserva R\u00edo Claro, Colombia (song)
Sooty Ant Tanager (Habia gutturalis) [XC99286]
by Alejandro Pinto-G\u00f3mez from Santa Cecilia, Serrania de San Lucas, Colombia (call, calls of small group)
Subspecies
Molecular-genetic evidence indicates that this genus may form a monophyletic group with Piranga and Chlorothraupis, and that all three are more closely related to cardinals (Cardinalidae) than to true tanagers.
BirdLife International Species Factsheet