Photo: gailhampshire from Cradley, Malvern, U.K / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Black Antshrike
Thamnophilus nigriceps
Black Antshrike (Thamnophilus nigriceps) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Central America & Caribbean.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Black Antshrike (Thamnophilus nigriceps) is a member of the Thamnophilidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and South America. Adults weigh 22.9 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Thamnophilidae Antbirds
- Genus Thamnophilus
- Species nigriceps
Quick facts
- Weight
- 22.9 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Thamnophilidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Black Antshrike is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Black Antshrike is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Black Antshrike (Thamnophilus nigriceps) is a member of the Thamnophilidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It is found across Central America & Caribbean and South America. Its distribution covers MA, SA e Panama and n Colombia.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 22.9 g, with a wing length of about 7.4 cm and a tail of around 5.9 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 210,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Black Antshrike?
The Black Antshrike is a small bird that weighs around 22.9 g.
Where does the Black Antshrike live?
The Black Antshrike is found across Central America & Caribbean and South America with a range covering MA, SA e Panama and n Colombia, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Black Antshrike belong to?
The Black Antshrike (Thamnophilus nigriceps) belongs to the Thamnophilidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Black Antshrike eat?
The Black Antshrike is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Black Antshrike migrate?
The Black Antshrike is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Black Antshrike endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Black Antshrike make?
1 real field recording of the Black Antshrike can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Black Antshrike's range?
The Black Antshrike has a mapped global range of about 210,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
More in Thamnophilidae
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
More in Songbirds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Guides for this bird
Best Bird Feeders for Garden Songbirds
How to choose a bird feeder for garden songbirds — the feeder styles compared, the seed they prefer, where to hang it, and how to keep birds safe. A decision framework grounded in real data, with no mystery picks.
Meet the Thamnophilidae
A field guide to the Thamnophilidae family — 240 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.