[2] The East Andean antbird was described by the English zoologist Philip Sclater in 1855 and given the binomial name Formicivora caudata.

[4][5][6] The East Andean antbird is 14.5 to 15.5 cm (5.7 to 6.1 in) long and weighs 11 to 13 g (0.39 to 0.46 oz).

It especially favors bamboo thickets and occurs less frequently in other dense undergrowth such as vine tangles and shrubby forest borders.

[7][8] The East Andean antbird is believed to be a year-round resident throughout its range.

[7] The East Andean antbird's diet and feeding behavior are very poorly known.

It typically forages by itself, in pairs, or in family groups and sometimes joins mixed-species feeding flocks.

It takes most of its prey by reaching or lunging from a perch and also makes short sallies to overhanging vegetation.

The IUCN originally in 2016 assessed the East Andean antbird as Near Threatened but in 2023 downlisted it to being of Least Concern.

"Threats are not well known, but it is likely susceptible to large-scale loss and degradation of forests and removal of bamboo stands for selective logging and conversion into agricultural land and livestock pastures.