Great Antshrike
Great AntshrikeGreat AntshrikeGreat AntshrikeGreat Antshrike

Great Antshrike

Taraba major

Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
at Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary
118 Verified sightings at Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary From 2019 to 2026
5,968 Verified sightings across all 51 parks From 2019 to 2026
August Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Great Antshrike

The great antshrike (Taraba major) is a passerine bird in subfamily Thamnophilinae of family Thamnophilidae, the "typical antbirds". It is found in southern Mexico, in every Central American country except El Salvador, on Trinidad, and in every mainland South American country except Chile, though only as a vagrant in Uruguay.

The great antshrike was described by the French ornithologist Louis Pierre Vieillot in 1816 and given the binomial name Thamnophilus major. The current genus Taraba was introduced by the French naturalist René Lesson in 1831.

The great antshrike has these ten subspecies: The great antshrike is the only member of genus Taraba. Its closest relatives appear to be the fasciated and bamboo antshrikes of genus Cymbilaimus. The subspecies' vocalizations fall into two groups, T. m. melanocrissus through T. m. granadensis and T. m. semifasciatus through T. m. major. The first, found in Central America and mostly west of the Andes, may represent a separate species from the other, which are found east of the Andes. In addition, differences within the members of each group may not be significant enough in some cases to warrant subspecies status... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary

Dusky Antbird
LC

Dusky Antbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cercomacra tyrannina

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
Dot-winged Antwren
LC

Dot-winged Antwren

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Microrhopias quixensis

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
Barred Antshrike
LC

Barred Antshrike

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Thamnophilus doliatus

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
Western Slaty-Antshrike
LC

Western Slaty-Antshrike

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Thamnophilus atrinucha

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Spot-breasted Wren
LC

Spot-breasted Wren

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pheugopedius maculipectus

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely
Great Kiskadee
LC

Great Kiskadee

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pitangus sulphuratus

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely
Social Flycatcher
LC

Social Flycatcher

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Myiozetetes similis

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely
White-collared Manakin
LC

White-collared Manakin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Manacus candei

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely
Melodious Blackbird
LC

Melodious Blackbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Dives dives

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely
Gray Catbird
LC

Gray Catbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Dumetella carolinensis

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely
White-breasted Wood-Wren
LC

White-breasted Wood-Wren

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Henicorhina leucosticta

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely
Clay-colored Thrush
LC

Clay-colored Thrush

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Turdus grayi

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 El Impenetrable National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
~70%
2 Noel Kempff Mercado National Park 🇧🇴 Bolivia
~40%
3 Chapada Diamantina National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
~20%
4 Chapada dos Guimarães National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
~20%
5 Machalilla National Park 🇪🇨 Ecuador
~20%
6 Madidi National Park 🇧🇴 Bolivia
~10%
7 Amacayacu National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
~10%
8 Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas 🇧🇷 Brazil
~10%
9 Tambopata National Reserve 🇵🇪 Peru
~10%
10 Manu National Park 🇵🇪 Peru
~10%
11 Darién National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
~10%
12 Cordillera Azul National Park 🇵🇪 Peru
~10%
13 Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
~10%
14 Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary 🇧🇿 Belize
~10%
15 El Palmar National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
~10%
16 Yasuní National Park 🇪🇨 Ecuador
~10%
17 Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve 🇪🇨 Ecuador
~10%
18 Arenal Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
19 Corcovado National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
20 Iberá National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
<5%
21 Serra da Canastra National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
<5%
22 Amboró National Park 🇧🇴 Bolivia
<5%
23 Cahuita National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
24 Sierra de la Macarena National Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
<5%
25 Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
26 La Amistad International Park (Panama) 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
27 Piedras Blancas National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
28 Bastimentos Island National Marine Park 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
29 Soberanía National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
30 Henri Pittier National Park 🇻🇪 Venezuela
<5%
31 Tenorio Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
32 Farallones de Cali National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
<5%
33 Podocarpus National Park 🇪🇨 Ecuador
<5%
34 Braulio Carrillo National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
35 Carara National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
36 Marino Ballena National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
37 Tortuguero National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
38 Anavilhanas National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
Insufficient data
39 Utría National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
Insufficient data
40 San Lorenzo Protected Forest 🇵🇦 Panama
Insufficient data
41 Brownsberg Nature Park 🇸🇷 Suriname
Insufficient data
42 Biotopo Cerro Cahuí 🇬🇹 Guatemala
Insufficient data
43 Rincón de la Vieja National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
44 Tayrona National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
Insufficient data
45 Pico Bonito National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
Insufficient data
46 Chingaza National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
Insufficient data
47 Chagres National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
Insufficient data
48 Itatiaia National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
Insufficient data
49 Tikal National Park 🇬🇹 Guatemala
Insufficient data
50 Manuel Antonio National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
51 Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Great Antshrike in Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary?

About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Great Antshrike sighting in Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, based on 118 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Great Antshrike in Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary?

August has the highest sighting rate for Great Antshrike in Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary in our monthly data.

← Back to Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary