Uniform Antshrike

Overview

The uniform antshrike (Thamnophilus unicolor) is a species of bird in the family Thamnophilidae, known as the typical antbirds. It is classified as a species of Least Concern by the IUCN.

Identification

• Length ranges from 14.5 to 17 cm with a mass of approximately 24 g.
• Adult males are deep gray or blackish gray, often with white tips on the outer tail feathers, while females feature a rufous crown, gray face, and rufous-brown upperparts.
• Both sexes possess a stout, hooked black bill and gray or blue-gray legs.
• Vocalisations include a series of nasal notes described as 'anh, anh, anh' and a descending whine or throaty 'raahhh'.

Habitat

Found across the Andes in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, the species inhabits the understorey of humid montane forest. It favours forest edges and gaps created by fallen trees at elevations generally between 1,000 and 2,300 m.

Diet

The diet consists primarily of insects and other arthropods, with seeds also consumed. Foraging is usually conducted singly or in pairs within dense vegetation, often very low to the ground but occasionally reaching up to 8 m high.

Did you know?

Males of the subspecies T. u. grandior are very similar to the nominate form, though they more frequently exhibit small white tips on their outer tail feathers.