Fasciated Antshrike

About the Fasciated Antshrike

The fasciated antshrike (Cymbilaimus lineatus) is a species of bird in subfamily Thamnophilinae of family Thamnophilidae, the "typical antbirds". It is found in Central America from Honduras south and in every mainland South American country except Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay.

The fasciated antshrike has three subspecies, the nominate C. l. lineatus (Leach, 1814), C. l. fasciatus (Ridgway, 1884), and C. l. intermedius (Hartert & Goodson, 1917). What is now the bamboo antshrike (C. sanctaemariae) was considered another subspecies of it until the 1980s. The two are the only species in genus Cymbilaimus.

The fasciated antshrike is 17 to 18 cm (6.7 to 7.1 in) long and weighs 35 to 40 g (1.2 to 1.4 oz). This species exhibits significant sexual dimorphism. Both sexes of all subspecies have a red iris and a heavy bill with a hook at the end like true shrikes. Adult males of the nominate subspecies have a black forehead and crown with a few very thin white bars. The rest of their plumage is thin black and white bars. Females have a rufous crown. Most of the rest of their plumage is thin dark brown and pale yellowish brown bars; their... Wikipedia →