The Sooretama slaty antshrike is a species of bird in subfamily Thamnophilinae of family Thamnophilidae, the "typical antbirds". It is endemic to Brazil.
Region
Brazilian Atlantic Forest
Typical Environment
Occurs along the eastern Brazilian coast from southern Bahia through Espírito Santo to northern Rio de Janeiro, with some occurrences in adjacent Minas Gerais. It inhabits lowland and foothill evergreen forest, restinga scrub, forest edges, and secondary growth. The species tolerates semi-open habitats with dense shrub layers, including shade-cacao (cabruca) plantations and riverine thickets. It keeps close to the ground and midstory where vegetation is tangled and humid.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 800 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The Sooretama slaty antshrike is an Atlantic Forest specialist that keeps to dense understory, making it more often heard than seen. Males are slate-gray while females are warm rufous-brown, a strong sex-based color difference typical of antshrikes. It forages methodically in tangles and edge thickets and will sometimes join mixed-species flocks. Though affected by habitat loss, it persists in secondary growth and shaded cacao plantations.
Temperament
secretive and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats through dense understory
Social Behavior
Typically found in pairs that maintain territories year-round. Nests are small cups placed low to mid-level in dense vegetation; both sexes likely share incubation and care of young. Frequently participates in mixed-species flocks but remains close to cover.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Song is a clear, accelerating or slightly descending series of sharp whistles that cut through the understory. Calls include dry scolds and sharp chips used for contact between members of a pair.
Plumage
Male is uniformly slaty-gray with darker wings and tail and small contrasting white spots on the wing coverts; underparts are smooth and unbarred. Female is warm rufous-brown above with buffy to cinnamon underparts and a slightly paler throat; wings may show faint pale spotting. Both sexes have a compact, hooked bill and relatively short, rounded wings suited to maneuvering in dense cover.
Diet
Primarily hunts insects and other arthropods such as beetles, orthopterans, and spiders. Forages by gleaning from leaves, twigs, and vine tangles, and occasionally by short sallies to pick prey from surfaces. It may opportunistically follow army-ant swarms but is not an obligate ant follower.
Preferred Environment
Feeds in dense understory and midstory of forest edges, secondary growth, restinga thickets, and shaded agroforestry such as cacao. Often keeps near vine tangles, saplings, and fallen branches where prey is abundant and cover is thick.
