Amazonian antshrike facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Amazonian antshrike
Female
Male
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Genus:	Thamnophilus
Species:	amazonicus

The Amazonian antshrike (Thamnophilus amazonicus) is a type of bird that lives in South America. It belongs to the "typical antbirds" family, called Thamnophilidae. You can find this bird in many South American countries, but not in Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, or Uruguay.

About the Amazonian Antshrike

How Scientists Name Birds

Scientists use a system called taxonomy to name and group living things. The Amazonian antshrike was first described by an English zoologist named Philip Sclater in 1858. He gave it the scientific name Thamnophilus amazonicus.

This bird has five different types, which scientists call subspecies:

• T. a. cinereiceps
• T. a. divaricatus
• T. a. amazonicus
• T. a. obscurus
• T. a. paraensis

Sometimes, scientists discuss if a subspecies should be its own species. For example, T. a. cinereiceps was once thought to be a separate species. Also, a part of the northern slaty antshrike was once considered a subspecies of the Amazonian antshrike.

What the Bird Looks Like

The Amazonian antshrike is about 14 to 15 centimeters (5.5 to 6 inches) long. It weighs between 17 and 21 grams (about 0.6 to 0.7 ounces). Birds in the Thamnophilus group are fairly large antbirds. They all have strong bills with a hook, similar to a shrike's bill.

This bird shows clear sexual dimorphism, which means males and females look quite different.

Male and Female Differences

• Males of the main subspecies (T. a. amazonicus) have a black forehead and crown. The rest of their head is gray. Their back is mostly black with a gray lower back. They have a hidden white patch between their shoulders. Their wings and tail are black with white spots and edges. Their underside is gray.
• Females have a bright reddish-brown crown. The rest of their head and their underside (down to their belly) are bright yellowish-red-brown. Their belly is a pale yellowish-brown. Their back is a deep olive color. Their wings and tail are similar to the male's but are browner with pale olive edges.

Subspecies Variations

• T. a. cinereiceps birds are smaller and paler than the main subspecies. Males have a gray crown and upper body. Females have some gray mixed into their chest and olive-gray sides.
• T. a. divaricatus males have a blackish-gray face and a mix of black and gray on their back. Females have paler, grayer undersides.
• T. a. obscurus is the darkest subspecies. Males are almost entirely black on their upper body and dark gray underneath. Females are dark, and their tail feathers often lack pale tips.
• T. a. paraensis males have paler undersides than the main subspecies. They often have faint white bars on their belly. Females have a reddish tint on their tail and a pale cinnamon-buff belly.

Where the Bird Lives

The Amazonian antshrike lives all across the Amazon Basin. Each subspecies lives in a specific area:

• T. a. cinereiceps: Found in western Venezuela, central-eastern Colombia, and northwestern Brazil.
• T. a. divaricatus: Lives in eastern Venezuela, across the Guianas, and northeastern Brazil.
• T. a. amazonicus: Spreads from southern Colombia, through eastern Ecuador and Peru, into northern Bolivia, and western Brazil.
• T. a. obscurus: Found in south-central Brazil.
• T. a. paraensis: Lives in Brazil, east from the Tocantins River to western Maranhão.

Bird Habitats

The Amazonian antshrike lives in different types of forests. Generally, they prefer evergreen forests and secondary forests (forests that have grown back after being cleared). They are found from the lower parts of the forest up to the middle levels.

Some subspecies prefer specific areas:

• T. a. cinereiceps likes sandy areas, like savanna woodlands on white sand.
• T. a. divaricatus mainly lives in terra firme forests, which are high and dry, especially where there are many vines.
• T. a. amazonicus mostly stays in várzea and igapó forests. These are forests that flood seasonally.
• T. a. obscurus lives at forest edges, inside dense secondary forests, and in bamboo stands.
• T. a. paraensis mostly lives in secondary forests.

These birds usually live below 400 meters (1,300 feet) in Colombia and Venezuela, and below 200 meters (650 feet) in Ecuador.

Antshrike Behavior

Movement

The Amazonian antshrike is believed to live in the same area all year round. It does not migrate.

What and How They Eat

The Amazonian antshrike mainly eats insects and other small creatures like arthropods (spiders, etc.). It usually hunts alone or in pairs. They mostly forage between 5 and 17 meters (16 to 56 feet) above the ground, but sometimes as low as 1 meter (3 feet).

They hop through thick bushes and tangled vines. They pick prey from leaves, branches, bamboo, and vines. They can reach out from a perch or make short flights upwards to catch food. They often join mixed-species feeding flocks, which are groups of different bird species hunting together. Sometimes, they even follow army ant swarms to catch insects fleeing the ants.

Breeding Habits

In Brazil, the Amazonian antshrike breeds between May and January. The breeding season in other areas is not fully known.

Their nest is a deep cup shape. It is made from various plant and fungal fibers and often covered with moss on the outside. The nest hangs from a branch fork, usually about 1 to 3 meters (3 to 10 feet) above the ground. A female typically lays two eggs. We don't know how long the eggs take to hatch or how long it takes for the young birds to leave the nest. We also don't have many details about how the parents care for their young.

Bird Calls and Songs

The Amazonian antshrike's song is a long series of notes. It usually starts fast and gets higher in pitch, then levels off, and often goes down at the end. The final notes can change in sound and loudness. One person described it as "kur kur kur-kur-kur-kur-kur'ke'ke'ke'ke'kahkahkahkah".

Their calls include a long, complaining "caw" that goes down in pitch. They also make an emphatic "bark" sound and a long, rough "growl" that sounds like a short rattle.

Bird Status

The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) has listed the Amazonian antshrike as a species of Least Concern. This means it is not currently at risk of extinction. It lives across a very large area. Even though its exact population size isn't known, scientists believe it is stable. No immediate threats have been found for this bird.

It is considered fairly common in Colombia and locally common in Venezuela. It is uncommon in Peru and other areas. The bird lives in "vast areas of protected suitable habitat." It also "adapts well to second growth" in some places. This means it can live in forests that have grown back, making it less vulnerable to habitat changes.