In the resulting rearrangement to create monophyletic genera, the blue-lored antbird was moved to the newly erected genus Hafferia.

[5] The current blue-lored antbird has two subspecies, the nominate H. i. immaculata (Lafresnaye, 1845) and H. i. concepcion (Donegan, 2012).

Adult males of the nominate subspecies are mostly very dark gray with a hidden white line at the bend of the wing.

Subspecies H. i. concepcion is found further west in Colombia, in Bolívar Department's Serranía de San Lucas and in the Central Andes as far south as eastern Valle de Cauca and northwestern Tolima departments.

[6][7][8][9][excessive citations] The blue-lored antbird is believed to be a year-round resident throughout its range.

[6] The blue-lored antbird feeds on a variety of insects, other arthropods, and probably also small vertebrates.

It typically forages singly, in pairs, or in family groups in dense vegetation, mostly on the ground and within about 1 m (3 ft) above it.

The nominate's calls are "a short...'tweet' rising and falling in pitch" and a one-second rattle, and are never given by a pair in duet.