Uniform Antshrike

About the Uniform Antshrike

The uniform antshrike (Thamnophilus unicolor) is a species of bird in subfamily Thamnophilinae of family Thamnophilidae, the "typical antbirds". It is found in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. The uniform antshrike was described by the English zoologist Philip Sclater in 1859 and given the binomial name Dysithamnus unicolor. It was later transferred to genus Thamnophilus, which had been erected in 1816 by Louis Pierre Vieillot. The uniform antshrike, the white-shouldered antshrike (T. aethiops), and the upland antshrike (T. aroyae) form a superspecies or are sister species.

The uniform antshrike has three subspecies, the nominate T. u. unicolor (Sclater, PL, 1859), T. u. grandior (Hellmayr, 1924), and T. u. caudatus (Carriker, 1933). The uniform antshrike is 14.5 to 17 cm (5.7 to 6.7 in) long and weighs about 24 g (0.85 oz). Members of genus Thamnophilus are largish members of the antbird family; all have stout bills with a hook like those of true shrikes. This species exhibits significant sexual dimorphism. Adult males of the nominate subspecies are mostly deep gray or blackish gray. They sometimes have white tips on their outer tail feathers... Wikipedia →