The bluish-slate antshrike is a species of bird in subfamily Thamnophilinae of family Thamnophilidae, the "typical antbirds". It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, and Peru.
Region
Western Amazon Basin
Typical Environment
Occurs in lowland humid rainforest of Peru, northern Bolivia, and adjacent western Brazil (notably Acre and western Amazonas). It favors mature terra firme forest and also uses seasonally flooded várzea, especially along well-wooded rivers. The species stays mostly in the shaded interior, ranging from the understory to the lower midstory. It commonly joins mixed-species flocks moving through mid-level strata and edges of treefalls. It is generally absent from heavily fragmented or degraded habitats.
Altitude Range
100–1200 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
A Western Amazonian antshrike, it is a core participant in mixed-species flocks, often acting as a sentinel that gives sharp alarm calls. Pairs maintain territories year-round in the forest interior and are more often heard than seen. It forages deliberately in the midstory and understory, occasionally sallying to snatch flushed insects.
Temperament
social and active
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats between perches
Social Behavior
Usually found in pairs that join mixed-species flocks moving through the forest. Pairs are presumed monogamous and maintain territories year-round. Nests are a small suspended cup placed low to mid understory, with both parents attending.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Song is a series of clear, slightly rising whistles delivered at measured pace, often given from within midstory cover. Calls include sharp chips and scolding notes that function as flock alarms. Vocalizations carry well in dense forest, aiding contact within flocks.
Plumage
Male largely uniform bluish-slate with a slightly darker head and subtle pale edging on the wing coverts; female warmer brown with buffy underparts and lighter throat. Both sexes show a smooth, satiny texture without strong barring. Bill is stout with a hooked tip typical of antshrikes.
Diet
Primarily hunts arthropods such as beetles, orthopterans, spiders, and caterpillars. It gleans from leaves, twigs, and vine tangles and will make short sallies to capture flushed prey. Occasionally it attends army-ant swarms to take fleeing insects, though it more often forages within mixed flocks.
Preferred Environment
Forages in the shaded interior of mature rainforest, especially in the understory to lower midstory around 2–12 m above ground. Frequently works along vine tangles, saplings, and the edges of natural gaps created by falling trees.
