Black-crowned Antshrike - Gamboa, PA
Along Pipeline Road in Gamboa, Panama, this Black-crowned Antshrike gave us a clear look from the forest understory. This species was formerly called the Western Slaty-Antshrike. This name is still familiar to many birders and older field guides. Males are mostly slate-gray with a black crown and bold white markings across the wings. Females look quite different, showing warmer brown and rufous tones that can make the pair seem like separate species. Black-crowned Antshrikes belong to the Thamnophilidae family, alongside antbirds, antwrens, antvireos, and other antshrikes. They typically forage in pairs through dense vegetation, searching leaves and branches for insects and other small prey. Like many members of this family, they may also investigate mixed flocks and the activity surrounding army-ant swarms. Pipeline Road provides ideal habitat for watching these secretive birds work through Panama’s tropical forest understory.
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