Photo: Joseph Wolf / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Black-backed Antshrike
Thamnophilus melanonotus
Black-backed Antshrike (Thamnophilus melanonotus) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South America.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Black-backed Antshrike (Thamnophilus melanonotus) is a member of the Thamnophilidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 25.5 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 melanonotus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 25.5 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Thamnophilidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Black-backed Antshrike is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense woodland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Black-backed Antshrike is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Black-backed Antshrike (Thamnophilus melanonotus) is a member of the Thamnophilidae family, within the order Passeriformes. Its range spans South America. Its distribution covers SA n Colombia and Venezuela.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 25.5 g, with a wing length of about 7.6 cm and a tail of around 6.3 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 114,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Black-backed Antshrike?
The Black-backed Antshrike is a small bird that weighs around 25.5 g.
Where does the Black-backed Antshrike live?
The Black-backed Antshrike is found across South America with a range covering SA n Colombia and Venezuela, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Black-backed Antshrike belong to?
The Black-backed Antshrike (Thamnophilus melanonotus) belongs to the Thamnophilidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Black-backed Antshrike eat?
The Black-backed Antshrike is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Black-backed Antshrike migrate?
The Black-backed Antshrike is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Black-backed 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-backed Antshrike make?
1 real field recording of the Black-backed Antshrike — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Black-backed Antshrike's range?
The Black-backed Antshrike has a mapped global range of about 114,000 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
Endangered
Least Concern
Least Concern
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Not Evaluated
Least Concern
Least Concern
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.