The Bolivian slaty antshrike is a species of bird in subfamily Thamnophilinae of family Thamnophilidae, the "typical antbirds". It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, and Paraguay.
Region
South-central South America
Typical Environment
Occurs in lowland and foothill forests of Bolivia, adjacent western Brazil, and northern Paraguay. It favors semi-open woodlands, gallery forests along rivers, seasonally dry forests such as the Chiquitano, and edges of humid forest. The species uses dense understory, vine tangles, and secondary growth where it can forage by short sallies and gleaning. It tolerates some habitat disturbance and can persist in fragmented forest patches provided adequate understory cover remains.
Altitude Range
100–1200 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The Bolivian slaty antshrike is a thicket-dwelling antbird that forages methodically in low to mid understory, often in pairs. Males are dark slaty-gray while females are warm brown, making the species strongly sexually dimorphic. It sometimes accompanies mixed-species flocks and will opportunistically attend army-ant swarms, though it is not an obligate ant-follower. Its clear, whistled song and duets help pairs maintain territories year-round.
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats between low perches
Social Behavior
Usually found in pairs that maintain territories year-round, communicating with duets and contact calls. The nest is a small, suspended cup placed low to mid-level in dense vegetation; both sexes participate in incubation and care. It may join mixed-species flocks but generally forages as a pair within cover.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Song is a clear, rising sequence of whistled notes that may accelerate slightly, often given in a duet by the pair. Calls include sharp chips and a soft chatter when agitated. Vocalizations carry well through dense understory.
