Juveniles are a duller rufous chestnut, with less white on the face and with sooty brown replacing the adult's black on the head.

[3][4][5] The white-masked antbird is found in northern Peru in a small area from northeastern Amazonas Department into western Loreto.

It inhabits a type of stunted forest called varillal that grows on white sand soil.

Its floor typically has a thick layer of humus and dead leaves, and the trees reach a height of about 30 m (100 ft).

It typically forages near the front of the ant swarm, sallying or dropping to the ground from a low perch.

It is known from only a few sites within a very limited range and its estimated population of between 1500 and 7000 mature individuals is believed to be decreasing.