Natterer's Slaty Antshrike

Overview

Natterer's slaty antshrike (Thamnophilus stictocephalus) is a species of bird in the subfamily Thamnophilinae of the family Thamnophilidae, commonly known as the typical antbirds. It comprises two subspecies and is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, with a large range in Bolivia and Brazil, though its population is believed to be decreasing.

Identification

• Males of the nominate subspecies have a black forehead with gray spots and a black crown, while females possess a rufous crown and reddish yellow-brown upperparts.
• The species measures 14 to 15 cm in length and weighs between 19 to 22 g, featuring a stout bill with a hook similar to true shrikes.
• The song is described as a series of level, nasal notes that accelerate into a bouncing rattle, accompanied by calls such as short and long 'caw' notes or an abrupt growl.

Habitat

Found in Bolivia and Brazil, the nominate subspecies inhabits patches of forest on white-sand soil, humid evergreen forest edges, and clearings in the south of the Amazon region, extending into semi-deciduous and gallery forest at the southern end of its range. Subspecies T. s. parkeri is restricted to the edges of evergreen forest within grasslands and cerrado in the Serranía de Huanchaca. Elevation ranges from near sea level to 700 m.

Diet

The diet primarily consists of insects and other arthropods, foraged singly or in pairs within the understorey to mid-storey, typically between 1 and 10 m above the ground. Birds glean prey from leaves, branches, and vines by hopping through vegetation, reaching from perches, or making short upward sallies, and occasionally follow army ant swarms.

Did you know?

Although Natterer's slaty antshrike was long treated as a subspecies of the slaty antshrike (T. punctatus), a 1997 study revealed it to be a distinct species comprising two separate subspecies, leading to the remaining population being renamed the northern slaty antshrike to avoid confusion.