ANTBIRDS   -   THAMNOPHILIDAE   -   PART I

Spot-backed Antshrike to Black Bushbird

Spot-backed Antshrike - Hypoedaleus guttatus
Spot-backed Antshrike
Hypoedaleus guttatus
Serra do Ouricana (Boa Nova), Bahia State, Brazil.
Male in full song. Birds lacking any tawny on the underparts from the northern part of the species'  range (such as this one) were formerly separated as subspecies leucogaster. HBW did not recognize this taxon due to the broad zone of intergradation. (D3)


Giant Antshrike - Batara cinerea Tufted Antshrike - Mackenziaena severa
Giant Antshrike
Batara cinerea cinerea
Intervales State Park, São Paulo state, Brazil.
Male. The largest and most spectacular of all the antbirds, it can measure up to 35 cm (14"). Despite this, it can be a very hard bird to see well, especially the females. It seems to have a strong association with bamboo. (D3)
Tufted Antshrike
Mackenziaena severa
Intervales State Park, São Paulo state, Brazil.
Female. Another gorgeous antshrike of the Atlantic Rainforest region. The female is much more ornate than the male, which is pure charcoal gray. (S6)


Large-tailed Antshrike - Mackenziaena leachii
Large-tailed Antshrike
Mackenziaena leachii
Intervales State Park, São Paulo state, Brazil.
Male. The second largest antbird behind Giant, and nearly as spectacular. It is endemic to SE Brazil and adjacent border areas of Argentina and Paraguay. It inhabits stunted forest and scrubby forest edge. (S6)


Great Antshrike - Taraba major
Great Antshrike
Taraba major transandeanus
Finca Exito I, 20 km N of Puerto Quito, Pichincha province, Ecuador.
Male. A common and widespread bird from southern Mexico to northern Argentina. (S5)


Great Antshrike - Taraba major
Great Antshrike
Taraba major major
Fazenda Santa Tereza (Pantanal Wildlife Center), Mato Grosso, Brazil.
Female. (S5)


Black-crested Antshrike - Sakesphorus canadensis
Black-crested Antshrike
Sakesphorus canadensis loretoyacuensis
Anavilhanas Archilpelago, Amazonas state, Brazil.
Male. I was surprised when I saw this bird on a river island in the Rio Negro near Manaus. It seemed out-of-place compared to the habitats where I had seen it previously in Venezuela. (D3)


Silvery-cheeked Antshrike - Sakesphorus cristatus
Silvery-cheeked Antshrike
Sakesphorus cristatus
Palmeiras, Bahia state, Brazil.
Male. A Northeast Brazil endemic, found in deciduous forest and caatinga woodland. (S6)


Silvery-cheeked Antshrike - Sakesphorus cristatus
Silvery-cheeked Antshrike
Sakesphorus cristatus
Palmeiras, Bahia state, Brazil.
Female. (S6)


Glossy Antshrike - Sakesphorus luctuosus
Glossy Antshrike
Sakesphorus luctuosus luctuosus
Near Careiro da Varzea, Amazonas state, Brazil.
Male. Endemic to Brazil even though it has a large range. The female is fantastic with a rufous crest, but I couldn't manage to get a shot of her. (D3)


White-bearded Antshrike - Biatas nigropectus
White-bearded Antshrike
Biatas nigropectus
Itatiaia NP, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil.
Male. A unique monotypic genus endemic to the Atlantic Rainforest, confined to bamboo patches. It was once thought to be quite rare, but now that the vocalizations are better known, it can be seen on most bird tours to the Southeast Brazil area. (S6)


Barred Antshrike - Thamnophilus doliatus
Barred Antshrike
Thamnophilus doliatus intermedius
Northeast of Mapastepec, Chiapas state, Mexico.
Male. Possibly the most widespread member of the family, occurring from NE Mexico to N Argentina. (S6)


Barred Antshrike - Thamnophilus doliatus
Barred Antshrike
Thamnophilus doliatus capistratus
Palmeiras, Bahia state, Brazil.
This subspcies is endemic to the caatinga of northeastern Brazil. The red iris is the most notable difference. It has been suggested by some ornithologists that it should be split off as Caatinga Antshrike, but I don't think this is warranted due to similarities in voice. (S6)


Barred Antshrike - Thamnophilus doliatus
Barred Antshrike
Thamnophilus doliatus intermedius
Northeast of Mapastepec, Chiapas state, Mexico.
Male. (S5)


Rufous-capped Antshrike - Thamnophilus ruficapillus
Rufous-capped Antshrike
Thamnophilus ruficapillus cochabambae
Potreros de Yala Provincial Park, Jujuy province, Argentina.
Male. (S5)


Rufous-capped Antshrike - Thamnophilus ruficapillus
Rufous-capped Antshrike
Thamnophilus ruficapillus ruficapillus
Aprados da Serra National park, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil.
Female. (D4)


Rufous-winged Antshrike - Thamnophilus torquatus
Rufous-winged Antshrike
Thamnophilus torquatus
Chapada Diamantina, Bahia state, Brazil.
Male. You'll notice that the antshrikes are well-represented in this gallery; they are more likely to sit still in the open than other members of the family. (S6)


Rufous-winged Antshrike - Thamnophilus torquatus
Rufous-winged Antshrike
Thamnophilus torquatus
Serra de Cipó, Minas Gerais state, Brazil.
Female. (D2)


Bar-crested Antshrike - Thamnophilus multistriatus
Bar-crested Antshrike
Thamnophilus multistriatus multistriatus
Near San Vicente de Chucurí, Santander department, Colombia.
Male. This bird is nearly endemic to Colombia, barely getting over the border in the Sierra de Perijá in western Venezuela. It is rather common in disturbed habitats at middle elevations. (D3)


Chestnut-backed Antshrike - Thamnophilus palliatus Chestnut-backed Antshrike - Thamnophilus palliatus
Chestnut-backed Antshrike
Thamnophilus palliatus vestitus
Balbina Forest, Bandeira, Minas Gerais state, Brazil.
Male. This is the Atlantic Forest subspecies, which is darker overall. (D3)
Chestnut-backed Antshrike
Thamnophilus palliatus vestitus
Balbina Forest, Bandeira, Minas Gerais state, Brazil.
Female, with the rufous crest. She is the mate of the bird in the previous photo. (D3)


Collared Antshrike - Thamnophilus bernardi
Collared Antshrike
Thamnophilus bernardi piurae
Bosque de Pomac, Lambayeque department, Peru.
Male. (D2)


Western Slaty-Antshrike - Thamnophilus atrinucha Western Slaty-Antshrike - Thamnophilus atrinucha
Western Slaty-Antshrike
Thamnophilus atrinucha atrinucha
Pacto-Guallabillas road, Pichincha province, Ecuador.
Male. These two birds seemed to be a mated pair. (S5f)
Western Slaty-Antshrike
Thamnophilus atrinucha atrinucha
Pacto-Guallabillas road, Pichincha province, Ecuador.
Female. (S5f)


Mouse-colored Antshrike - Thamnophilus murinus
Mouse-colored Antshrike
Thamnophilus murinus canipennis
Shiripuno Lodge, Orellana province, Ecuador.
Male. The faint white edging on the wing coverts and the white central underparts separate it from Plain-winged Antshrike (T. schistaceus). (S4)


Blackish-gray Antshrike - Thamnophilus nigrocinereus Black-hooded Antshrike - Thamnophilus bridgesi
Blackish-gray Antshrike
Thamnophilus nigrocinereus cinereoniger
Anavilhanas Archipelago, Amazononas state, Brazil.
Male. He's pretty uninspiring, but does have a nice song. (D3)
Black-hooded Antshrike
Thamnophilus bridgesi
Carara NP, Puntarenas province, Costa Rica.
Male. A poor photo. This species is restricted to Pacific SW Costa Rica and W Panama. It's very common in Carara. (S5)


Natterer's Slaty-Antshrike - Thamnophilus stictocephalus
Natterer's Slaty-Antshrike
Thamnophilus stictocephalus
Cristalino Jungle Lodge, Mato Grosso state, Brazil.
Male. One of the several species split off what was once just Slaty Antshrike. This bird was on the "Serra" at Cristalino Jungle Lodge, a rocky hilltop with sandy soil and stunted forest, a preferred habitat for this species. (D3)


Planalto Slaty-Antshrike - Thamnophilus pelzelni
Planalto Slaty-Antshrike
Thamnophilus pelzelni
Corrego dos Ovos, 16 km ESE of Pirapora, Minas Gerais state, Brazil.
Male. Another of the species split off of the Slaty Antshrike complex, this one is endemic to interior eastern Brazil. Horrendously backlit, but a flash at least allowed the bird to be exposed properly. (S5f)


Variable Antshrike - Thamnophilus caerulescens
Variable Antshrike
Thamnophilus caerulescens caerulescens
Southwest of Sumidouro, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil.
Male. The nominate race, found in the Atlantic Forest region. (S5)


Variable Antshrike - Thamnophilus caerulescens
Variable Antshrike
Thamnophilus caerulescens caerulescens
Santuario de Caraça, Minas Gerais state, Brazil.
Female. The nominate race, found in the Atlantic Forest region. (S5)


Variable Antshrike - Thamnophilus caerulescens
Variable Antshrike
Thamnophilus caerulescens cearensis
Serra de Baturité, Ceará state, Brazil.
Male, of the race endemic to northeastern Brazil, showing virtually no black on the crown. (D3)


Uniform Antshrike - Thamnophilus unicolor
Uniform Antshrike
Thamnophilus unicolor unicolor
Buenaventura reserve, El Oro province, Ecuador.
Male. The only antshrike restricted to Andean cloudforests. (S5)


Black-backed Antshrike - Thamnophilus melanonotus
Black-backed Antshrike
Thamnophilus melanonotus
Minca, Magdalena department, Colombia.
Male. This species is very locally found in dry forest near the Caribbean coast in NE Colombia and NW Venezuela. (S5)


Amazonian Antshrike - Thamnophilus amazonicus
Amazonian Antshrike
Thamnophilus amazonicus cinereiceps
Mitú, Vaupés department, Colombia.
Male. A widespread species over much of the Amazon basin, though oddly it is absent from most of Ecuador. (S6)


Streak-backed Antshrike - Thamnophilus insignis
Streak-backed Antshrike
Thamnophilus insignis insignis
La Escalera (Sierra de Lema), Bolívar state, Venezuela
Male. Endemic to the tepui region. (D3)


Black Bushbird - Neoctantes niger
Black Bushbird
Neoctantes niger
Mitú, Vaupés department, Colombia.
Male. A scarce antbird found mainly in the western Amazon, and locally elsewhere. (S6)















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