Bluish-slate Antshrike

About the Bluish-slate Antshrike

The bluish-slate antshrike (Thamnomanes schistogynus) is a species of bird in subfamily Thamnophilinae of family Thamnophilidae, the "typical antbirds". It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, and Peru. The bluish-slate antshrike has two subspecies, the nominate T. s. schistogynus (Hellmayr, 1911) and T. s. intermedius (Carriker, 1935). Some early twentieth century authors treated the bluish-slate antshrike and the cinereous antshrike (T. caesius) as conspecific. They now are considered a superspecies.

The bluish-slate antshrike is 13.5 to 14.5 cm (5.3 to 5.7 in) long and weighs 16 to 18 g (0.56 to 0.63 oz). Adult males of the nominate subspecies are almost entirely darkish gray; they have a hidden white patch between the scapulars. Adult females' upperparts and throat are a slightly browner and paler gray than the male's. Their ear coverts and throat have thin white streaks. Their belly and flanks are deep cinnamon-rufous. Subspecies T. s. intermedius is darker overall than the nominate.

The nominate subspecies of the bluish-slate antshrike has the larger range. It is found in western Brazil south of the Amazon... Wikipedia →