Thamnophilus bernardi
The Collared Antshrike (Thamnophilus bernardi) is a striking passerine bird, named for the male's distinctive black band across its breast. Males present a bold plumage of black, white, and gray, featuring a prominent black crown, a crisp white supercilium, a gray back, and clean white underparts, sharply contrasted by black wings with white barrings. Measuring around 14-15 cm in length and weighing 18-24 grams, its field marks are unmistakable. Females exhibit a softer, warmer palette with a...
This antshrike primarily inhabits arid and semi-arid scrub, dry deciduous forests, and thorny thickets, often favoring areas near rivers or streams. It is typically found at low to mid-elevations, generally below 1,200 meters above sea level.
Their diet consists primarily of arthropods, including a wide array of insects like beetles, ants, grasshoppers, and caterpillars, as well as spiders. Occasionally, they may supplement their insectivorous diet with small lizards or berries, gleaning their prey from vegetation.
Collared Antshrikes are diurnal and typically observed foraging in monogamous pairs, often staying hidden within dense vegetation. They employ a 'gleaning' foraging strategy, meticulously picking insects from foliage, branches, and tree trunks, sometimes executing short aerial sallies to snatch p...
The Collared Antshrike is endemic to western South America, with its distribution confined to the Pacific slope and inter-Andean valleys of southwestern Ecuador and northwestern Peru. Its primary breeding range extends from El Oro and Loja provinces in southern Ecuador, southward through the Tumb...
Least Concern
- The male's distinctive black collar makes it one of the most uniquely marked antshrikes in the genus Thamnophilus. - Despite its name, the Collared Antshrike is not an obligate follower of army ant swarms, a behavior common in many other antbird species. - The species is named after the French ...