Variable Antshrike ( Thamnophilus caerulescens )
- Sent by Rodrigo Girardi Santiago - 20/02/2007
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15 cm. The male is dark grey with the top of the head black. There are white spots in the tip of the tail’s feathers and in the wings, in a pattern that is similar to other antshrikes. The female is brown.
Distribution:
From Peru and Bolivia to Uruguay. Absent in most of the Amazon.
Habitat:
Mostly in Forest borders, gallery and secondary forests.
Diet:
Arthropods. Beats the wings to shake the foliage, catching the insects that are scared.
Reproduction:
The male offers the female some food before mating. The couple builds a nest with stems and moss. The female lays three white eggs with red dots. Generally the male incubates during the day and the female in the night. The parents take turns to take care of the offspring.
Natural history:
Male and female hop and make short flights to move through the dense vegetation. While moving the male produces short songs that are answered by the female. During the breeding season they sing together in duets. When the male is nervous it stands on its feathers showing a white pattern.
