Black-crested Antshrike

Overview

The black-crested antshrike (Sakesphorus canadensis) is a passerine bird belonging to the family Thamnophilidae, commonly known as the typical antbirds. It is a small, crested species found in tropical South America, currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Identification

• Size: Small passerine, 14 to 18 cm long, weighing 20 to 28 g.
• Plumage: Males of the nominate subspecies have a black head, throat, and breast center with a white nape band, cinnamon-brown upperparts, and black wings and tail with white edges; females possess a rufous crown, grayish face, and cinnamon breast with blackish streaks.
• Crest: Both sexes exhibit a distinct shaggy crest.
• Song: The primary song is a series of 10–15 notes that start flat with a complaining quality, then rise in pitch while accelerating rapidly; calls include a complex downslurred note and abrupt 'chup' notes.

Habitat

Found in tropical South America across Trinidad, Colombia, Venezuela, the Guianas, Brazil, and Peru, the species inhabits a variety of environments including deciduous and savanna woodlands, gallery forest, igapó and várzea forest edges, mangroves, and dune scrub. It primarily occupies the understorey and mid-storey of forests but is also found in gardens and city parks, occurring at elevations up to 900 m, though limited to 400 m in Colombia and 700 m in Venezuela.

Diet

The black-crested antshrike feeds on a wide variety of insects and other arthropods, supplemented by small lizards and fruit. It forages singly or in pairs, occasionally joining mixed-species flocks, by hopping through dense vegetation and gleaning prey from leaves, stems, and branches, sometimes dropping to the ground to capture food.

Did you know?

The species was originally described by French zoologist Mathurin Jacques Brisson in 1760 based on a specimen he mistakenly believed had been collected in Canada, leading to its initial naming as Lanius Canadensis.