Amazonian antshrike

The Amazonian antshrike (Thamnophilus amazonicus) is a species of bird in subfamily Thamnophilinae of family Thamnophilidae, the "typical antbirds". It is found in every mainland South American country except Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay.

The Amazonian antshrike is 14 to 15 cm (5.5 to 5.9 in) long and weighs 17 to 21 g (0.60 to 0.74 oz). Members of genus Thamnophilus are largish members of the antbird family; all have stout bills with a hook like those of true shrikes. This species exhibits significant sexual dimorphism. Adult males of the nominate subspecies T. a. amazonicus are black on the center of the forehead and crown; the rest of their head is gray. Their back is mostly black with a gray rump and a hidden white patch between the scapulars. Their wings, scapulars, and wing coverts are black with white spots and edges. Their tail is black with white tips and spots on the outer feathers. Their underparts are gray. Adult females have a bright rufous crown. The rest of their head and their underparts to the belly are bright yellowish red-brown; their belly is buff. Their back is deep olive. Their wings and tail are similar to the male's but browner with pale olive edges on the flight feathers.

Both sexes of subspecies T. a. cinereiceps are smaller and paler than the nominate. Males have a gray crown and gray upperparts with a few black feathers. Females have gray mixed into their yellowish red-brown breast, olive-gray flanks, and buff-tinged smoky white belly and crissum. Males of subspecies T. a. divaricatus have a blackish gray face and a mixed black and gray back. Females have paler and grayer underparts than the nominate. Subspecies T. a. obscurus is the darkest of all. Males have nearly or entirely black upperparts and dark gray underparts. Females are dark and their tail feathers often lack pale tips. Males of T. a. paraensis have paler underparts than the nominate and often have faint white bars on their belly. Females have a reddish tinge on their tail and pale cinnamon-buff belly and crissum.