Great Shrike-Tyrant

About the Great Shrike-Tyrant

The great shrike-tyrant (Agriornis lividus) is a species of bird in the family Tyrannidae, the tyrant flycatchers. It is found in Argentina and Chile. The great shrike-tyrant was formally described in 1835 as Tamnophilus [sic] lividus.

The great shrike-tyrant has two subspecies, the nominate A. l. lividus (Kittlitz, 1835) and A. l. fortis (Berlepsch, 1907). The great shrike-tyrant is the largest species of tyrant flycatcher, weighing an average of about 99 g (3.5 oz). It is 26 to 28 cm (10 to 11 in) long. The sexes have the same plumage. Adults of the nominate subspecies have a mostly grayish brown head with some whitish on the lores and a cinnamon tinge on the ear coverts. Their upperparts are grayish brown. Their wings are mostly a duskier grayish brown with pale brown edges on the flight feathers. Their tail is mostly black with buffy white tips and edges of the outer webs of the outer feathers. Their throat is white with heavy black streaks. Their underparts are a paler grayish brown than their upperparts, with a cinnamon or cinnamon-buff wash on the lower belly and crissum. Subspecies A. l. fortis is larger and slightly brighter... Wikipedia →