Typical Antbirds (Thamnophilidae) - HBW 8
Great Antshrike (Taraba major)
French: Grand Batara
German: Weißbrust-Ameisenwürger
Spanish: Batará Mayor
Taxonomy: Thamnophilus major Vieillot, 1816, Paraguay.
Relationships uncertain; relationship to the Thamnophilus doliatus complex suggested by vocalizations and by barred plumage of juvenile. Two main plumage types, one N & W of Andes (races melanocrissus, obscurus, transandeanus, granadensis), the other E of Andes (remaining races); the two populations may merit separate species status if apparent parapatry in Venezuela (Miranda) and possibly significant vocal differences are substantiated. Otherwise, plumage differences in populations of Central America and the Pacific slope appear to be clinal, and recogn.. View all taxonomy...
Taxonomy: Thamnophilus major Vieillot,1816. Paraguay.
Relationships uncertain; relationship to the Thamnophilus doliatus complex suggested by vocalizations and by barred plumage of juvenile. Two main plumage types, one N & W of Andes (races melanocrissus, obscurus, transandeanus, granadensis), the other E of Andes (remaining races); the two populations may merit separate species status if apparent parapatry in Venezuela (Miranda) and possibly significant vocal differences are substantiated. Otherwise, plumage differences in populations of Central America and the Pacific slope appear to be clinal, and recognition of geographical races possibly not warranted; further study required. Plumage and vocal differences of races E of Andes more substantial, but careful analysis required to determine extent of intergradation and constancy of characters. Ten subspecies recognized.
Relationships uncertain; relationship to the Thamnophilus doliatus complex suggested by vocalizations and by barred plumage of juvenile. Two main plumage types, one N & W of Andes (races melanocrissus, obscurus, transandeanus, granadensis), the other E of Andes (remaining races); the two populations may merit separate species status if apparent parapatry in Venezuela (Miranda) and possibly significant vocal differences are substantiated. Otherwise, plumage differences in populations of Central America and the Pacific slope appear to be clinal, and recognition of geographical races possibly not warranted; further study required. Plumage and vocal differences of races E of Andes more substantial, but careful analysis required to determine extent of intergradation and constancy of characters. Ten subspecies recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution:
- melanocrissus (P. L. Sclater, 1860) - Caribbean slope from E Mexico (E San Luis Potosí S to N Oaxaca, Tabasco and N Chiapas) S to W Panama (Bocas del Toro, in Almirante Bay region).
- obscurus J. T. Zimmer, 1933 - W Costa Rica (Pacific slope), Panama (except Almirante Bay region) and W Colombia (middle Cauca Valley, and Pacific slope except extreme SW).
- transandeanus (P. L. Sclater, 1855) - Pacific slope of extreme SW Colombia (Nariño), W Ecuador, and extreme NW Peru (Tumbes).
- melanocrissus (P. L. Sclater, 1860) - Caribbean slope from E Mexico (E San Luis Potosí S to N Oaxaca, Tabasco and N Chiapas) S to W Panama (Bocas del Toro, in Almirante Bay region).
- obscurus J. T. Zimmer, 1933 - W Costa Rica (Pacific slope), Panama (except Almirante Bay region) and W Colombia (middle Cauca Valley, and Pacific slope except extreme SW).
- transandeanus (P. L. Sclater, 1855) - Pacific slope of extreme SW Colombia (Nariño), W Ecuador, and extreme NW Peru (Tumbes).
- granadensis (Cabanis, 1872) - N & C Colombia (Caribbean slope from Magdalena S to Córdoba, S in Magdalena Valley to Tolima, and base of E Andes in Arauca, Casanare, Boyacá and Meta) and NW Venezuela (Zulia and Táchira E to W Miranda).
- semifasciatus (Cabanis, 1872) - extreme E Colombia (Vichada), and NE & S Venezuela (E Miranda E to Paria Peninsula, and S of R Orinoco), Trinidad, the Guianas, and NE & SC Amazonian Brazil (S to R Negro and R Amazon and, S of R Amazon, from extreme E Amazonas E to W Maranhão and S to N Mato Grosso and NW Goiás).
- duidae Chapman, 1929 - Mt Duida, in Amazonas, S Venezuela.
- melanurus (P. L. Sclater, 1855) - SE Colombia (Caquetá, Putumayo, Amazonas), E Ecuador, E Peru and SW Amazonian Brazil (S of R Amazon in W Amazonas and Acre E to middle R Purus and N bank of R Abunã).
- borbae (Pelzeln, 1868) - SC Amazonian Brazil (E Amazonas along lower R Purus and R Madeira, and extreme N Rondônia).
- stagurus (M. H. K. Lichtenstein, 1823) - E & NE Brazil (E Maranhão E to Pernambuco and S to E Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo).
- major (Vieillot, 1816) - N & E Bolivia, SC Brazil (S Mato Grosso, S Goiás, W Minas Gerais, Mato Grosso do Sul and W São Paulo), W Paraguay (E to both banks of R Paraguay) and N Argentina (S to Córdoba and N Buenos Aires).
- Least Concern
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A male in hand Estancia San Miguel, Beni, Bolivia (ssp major)
Josep del Hoyo 8 September 2005 3 years ago 46 sec 4.1 -
A male in a tree, moving among branches. Serra de Baturité, Ceará, Brazil (ssp stagurus)
Josep del Hoyo 2 October 2008 38 weeks ago 37 sec 4 -
A male rubbing its bill, calling softly and moving branches. Serra de Baturité, Ceará, Brazil (ssp stagurus)
Josep del Hoyo 2 October 2008 38 weeks ago 28 sec 3.7 -
A male looking around on a branch and jumping up to a higher one Pousada Aguapé, Pantanal, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil (ssp major)
Josep del Hoyo 9 January 2005 2 years ago 14 sec 3.5 -
A dorsal view of a male singing in a tree, looking back Rio Grande, Venezuela (ssp semifasciatus)
David Ascanio 28 February 2007 2 years ago 12 sec 3.5 -
A brief view of a male on a branch, in slow motion Pantanal, Mato Grosso, Brazil (ssp major)
Bret Whitney 31 May 2007 2 years ago 1 sec 3.3
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Female bird caught a huge moth Bejuma, Carabobo, Venezuela (ssp granadensis)
Mikko Pyhälä 21 December 2008 1 year ago 4.5 -
 copia.jpg "Male Great Antshrike (Taraba major)")
Male Transpantaneira Road, Pantanal, Mato Grosso, Brazil
Juan Carlos Marín 30 September 2008 49 weeks ago 4.2 -
adult male at the famous feeders Asa Wright Nature Centre, Arima Valley, Trinidad, Trinidad and Tobago
Sanjiv Parasram 26 September 2009 7 weeks ago 4 -
Male on ground holding tail up Carabobo, Venezuela (ssp granadensis)
Mikko Pyhälä 21 December 2008 1 year ago 4 -
Male Serra de Baturité, Ceará, Brazil (ssp stagurus)
Ciro Albano 14 January 2010 8 weeks ago 3.5 -
A male perched. Serra de Baturité, Ceará, Brazil (ssp stagurus)
Josep del Hoyo 2 October 2008 38 weeks ago 3.5
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Male loudsong. Yacambú National Park, Lara State, Venezuela
Nacho Areta 10 April 2005 15 weeks ago 4
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