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Bar-crested Antshrike Thamnophilus multistriatus Scientific name definitions

Kevin Zimmer and Morton L. Isler
Version: 1.0 — Published March 4, 2020
Text last updated January 1, 2003

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Originally Appeared in

HBW Alive

Introduction

The Bar-crested Antshrike is fairly common in scrub and secondary growth in the western and eastern Andes of Colombia and the Perijá Mountains on the border of Colombia and Venezuela. It resembles the more widespread and familiar Barred Antshrike in many respects, but differs from that species in having white barring in the crown in the male and relatively pale underparts in the female. Like other members of the genus Thamnophilus, the presence of the Bar-crested Antshrike often is revealed first by its loud, accelerating call.

Field Identification

15–16·5 cm; 21–23 g. Crested; yellowish iris. Male is barred black and white throughout, including crown, except for streaked area from nape to throat. Female is very different, with crown, upperparts, wings and tail rufous, crown slightly deeper and separated from back by narrow band of black-streaked white or pale reddish-brown, head side and throat streaked black and white, underparts barred black and white, tinged reddish-brown on posterior flanks. Female differs from T. tenuepunctatus in proportionately wider white bars below that tend more often to be faintly washed with rufous. Subadult male is like adult, but tinged yellowish-brown on body and flight-feathers; this plumage possibly retained for some time (museum specimens). Race brachyurus has shorter tail than nominate, white bars below broader; selvae resembles last, but wider black bars below; oecotonophilus is like previous, but tail noticeably longer.

Systematics History

Editor's Note: This article requires further editing work to merge existing content into the appropriate Subspecies sections. Please bear with us while this update takes place.

Belongs to the “T. doliatus group” (which see). See also T. palliatus. Morphological characteristics distinguishing races appear to be clinal (with possible exception of selvae); however, ranges of most are probably disjunct, so careful study of differences needed. Four subspecies recognized.

Subspecies

SUBSPECIES

Thamnophilus multistriatus brachyurus Scientific name definitions

Distribution

W Colombia in W Andes (except at R San Juan headwaters) and W slope of C range, in W and C Antioquia, Quindío, Valle del Cauca and W Cauca.
SUBSPECIES

Thamnophilus multistriatus selvae Scientific name definitions

Distribution

W slope of W Andes at headwaters of R San Juan (in Risaralda and Caldas, Colombia).
SUBSPECIES

Thamnophilus multistriatus multistriatus Scientific name definitions

Distribution

E slope of C Andes and W slope of E range, in Santander, E Antioquia, E Caldas, W Cundinamarca, E Tolima, Huila and E Nariño, Colombia.
SUBSPECIES

Thamnophilus multistriatus oecotonophilus Scientific name definitions

Distribution

extreme W Venezuela (Sierra de Perijá) and NC Colombia (W slope of E Andes in Norte de Santander and Boyacá).

Distribution

Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Habitat

Understorey to canopy of deciduous forest, second-growth scrub, and foothill and montane evergreen forest, generally at 900–2200 m; locally down to 250 m on Pacific slope in Colombia. Mainly in thickets and shrubby borders at forest edge, often venturing into semi-open and cultivated areas, gardens, orchards and parks with thickets, hedgerows and trees. Within its limited range, generally replaces T. doliatus at higher elevations.

Movement

None recorded; presumed resident.

Diet and Foraging

Little known. Assumed to feed mostly on various insects and arthropods; stomach contents included seeds of a pomegranate (Punica granatum). Few precise data on foraging behaviour; said to be similar to that of T. doliatus.

Sounds and Vocal Behavior

Loudsong a rapidly accelerating series of 16–20 nasal notes, pitch obviously falling towards end, terminating in unaccented, slightly slurred note.

Breeding

Evidence of breeding in Mar–Jun in Colombia. Nest undescribed. Eggs reported as whitish, thickly spotted and streaked with red-brown at larger end.

Conservation Status

Conservation status on Birdlife LC Least Concern
Not globally threatened. Although occupying a fairly small range, this species is considered fairly common. Its preference for edge and second-growth habitats renders it of low sensitivity to environmental disturbance.
Distribution of the Bar-crested Antshrike - Range Map
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Distribution of the Bar-crested Antshrike

eBird and Macaulay Library

Recommended Citation

Zimmer, K. and M.L. Isler (2020). Bar-crested Antshrike (Thamnophilus multistriatus), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.bacant2.01
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