Bird Guide

Bluish-slate Antshrike vs Cinereous Antshrike

Bluish-slate Antshrike (Thamnomanes schistogynus)

Bluish-slate Antshrike

Thamnomanes schistogynus

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The bluish-slate antshrike is 13.5 to 14.5 cm (5.3 to 5.7 in) long and weighs 16 to 18 g (0.56 to 0.63 oz). Adult males of the nominate subspecies are almost entirely darkish gray; they have a hidden white patch between the scapulars. Adult females' upperparts and throat are a slightly browner and paler gray than the male's. Their ear coverts and throat have thin white streaks. Their belly and flanks are deep cinnamon-rufous. Subspecies T. s. intermedius is darker overall than the nominate. Voice: The bluish-slate antshrike's song is a "hurried series of a few very high, fluted notes, then accelerating to a rather long, downslurred rattle". Its calls include "a rattle, usually introduced by...a whine", "similar notes given in succession", a "downslurred note", and "a soft chatter".

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: desertnaturalist · CC BY 4.0
Cinereous Antshrike (Thamnomanes caesius)

Cinereous Antshrike

Thamnomanes caesius

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The cinereous antshrike is 14 to 15 cm (5.5 to 5.9 in) long and weighs 16 to 18 g (0.56 to 0.63 oz). Adult males of the nominate subspecies T. c. caesius are almost entirely dark gray; the inner edges of their secondaries and their underwing coverts are white. Adult females have olive-brown upperparts with a small white patch between the scapulars. Their wings and tail are olive-brown with a rufous tinge. Their throat is buff, their breast, sides and flanks olive with a tawny-cinnamon tinge, and the center of their belly and their crissum tawny-cinnamon. Voice: The cinereous antshrike's song is a "series, starting with some slow, sharply rising notes, then descending as a short rattle". It has been rendered as "whee? whee? whee? whee-whee-whee-wheep-wheep-whip-whipwhip-p-p-p-p-p-p-prrrrr". Its calls include "a staccato 'wer-chicory' " and "wu-chidididik".

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Cinereous Antshrike
Recorded by Niels Krabbe · Song · Pastaza: Churunalpi, 5 km N Canelos, Ecuador · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Jean-Paul Boerekamps · CC0

Where you might meet both

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Bluish-slate Antshrike and Cinereous Antshrike.