[1][2] The Rio Branco antbird was described by the English ornithologists Philip Sclater and Osbert Salvin in 1873 and given its current binomial name Cercomacra carbonaria.

They hop among vine tangles and other dense vegetation and usually take prey by gleaning and lunging from a perch and also sometimes with short fluttering flights.

[5] The Rio Branco antbird's breeding season has not been defined but appears to include from August or before to perhaps October.

Its only known nest was a small cup suspended in a branch fork in a leafy shrub 1.5 m (5 ft) above the ground.

The species' calls include a "duo or trio of abrupt notes, delivered rapidly, and [an] unclear whine that sounds like a tree branch squeaking in wind".

"The primary threat is now thought to be accelerating deforestation in the Amazon basin as land is cleared for cattle ranching and soy production, facilitated by expansion of the road network.

In addition to deforestation for agriculture, fire (both intentional and accidental) has significantly reduced the species' available habitat.