The black-crowned antshrike is a species of bird in subfamily Thamnophilinae of family Thamnophilidae, the "typical antbirds". It is found in every Central American country except El Salvador and in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.
Region
Central America and northwestern South America
Typical Environment
Occurs from Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama south into Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela. It inhabits humid lowland and foothill forests, forest edges, and tall second growth with dense understory. Frequently found along streams, vine tangles, and in thickets near forest gaps. Tolerates some disturbance and can persist in secondary woodland and plantations adjacent to forest. Most common in shady, densely vegetated habitats where it can forage near the ground to midstory.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1200 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The black-crowned antshrike is a skulking understory bird that forages in dense thickets and often travels as a pair. Pairs frequently duet, with male and female delivering coordinated phrases. Though not an obligate ant follower, it may attend army-ant swarms opportunistically to snatch flushed arthropods. It was long treated within a wider slaty antshrike complex, but is now recognized as a distinct species.
Male - Panama
Female - Panama
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats through dense understory
Social Behavior
Usually found in pairs that maintain territories year-round. Pairs keep contact with soft calls and perform coordinated duets. Nests are small cups placed low in shrubs or saplings, with both sexes involved in nesting duties.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Song is a series of clear, whistled notes that may accelerate or rise slightly, often delivered as male–female duets. Calls include sharp chips and nasal scolds given from cover.
Plumage
Males are mostly slate-gray with a distinctly darker, blackish crown and face, and show contrasting white wing spots/partial bars. Females are warm rufous-brown above with buffy to cinnamon underparts and a darker crown. Both sexes have a stout, slightly hooked bill typical of antshrikes.
Diet
Primarily takes insects and other arthropods such as beetles, caterpillars, spiders, and orthopterans. Forages by perch-and-sally and by gleaning from leaves, twigs, and vine tangles. Occasionally attends army-ant swarms to capture flushed prey and may take small lizards or other small invertebrates opportunistically.
Preferred Environment
Feeds in the lower to middle understory of humid forest, dense second growth, and along forest edges. Often works dense vine tangles and shaded thickets near streams or forest gaps where prey is abundant.
