Family Tyrant-flycatchers (Tyrannidae)

Least Concern

Great Shrike-tyrant (Agriornis lividus)

figure, drawing, illustration of Great Shrike-tyrant (Agriornis lividus)

Taxonomy

French: Grand Gaucho German: Schwarzschwanz-Hakentyrann Spanish: Gaucho grande
Taxonomy:

Tamnophilus [sic] lividus

Kittlitz

, 1835,

mountains of Valparaíso, Chile

.

Two subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution
  • A. l. lividus (Kittlitz, 1835) – coast and mountains of Chile (Atacama S to Valdivia).
  • A. l. fortis Berlepsch, 1907 – S Chile (Aisén and Magallanes) and S Argentina (L Nahuel Huapi, in SW of Neuquén–Río Negro border, S to Tierra del Fuego).

    • Descriptive notes

    26–28 cm. The largest flycatcher. Has dark head, ear-coverts tinged cinnamon, some whitish mottling on lores; mostly dull greyish-brown above; wings duskier, wing... read more

    Voice

    Usually silent; call “t-eek” or “t-eek-ek”. Adult male’s atten­... read more

    Habitat

    Semi-open shrubby and agricultural regions; avoids both very xeric and very wet habitats, as well... read more

    Food and feeding

    Large insects, small mammals, lizards, frogs, eggs or nestlings of other birds; rarely small birds, including Anairetes parulus.... read more

    Breeding

    Oct (coastal) and Nov (interior) in Chile. Male has aerial display. Bulky cup-shaped stick nest, lined with grass and wool, placed in bush... read more

    Movements

    Resident.

    Status and conservation

    Not globally threatened. Uncommon, becoming rare in S part of range. Most common in C Chile (from Aconcagua S to Bío Bío) and in SC Patagonia (Chubut and Ais... read more

    Recommended citation

    Farnsworth, A. & Langham, G. (2019). Great Shrike-tyrant (Agriornis lividus). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. (retrieved from https://www.hbw.com/node/57434 on 11 December 2019).