Head to head
Barred Antshrike vs Great Antshrike
The barred antshrike and great antshrike are both members of the antbird family found across the Americas, but their size, voice, and tolerance for disturbed habitat set them clearly apart.
| Barred Antshrike | Great Antshrike | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Thamnophilus doliatus | Taraba major |
| Relative size | Smaller | Larger, among the biggest antshrikes |
| Call | Typical antbird vocalisations | Deep, rolling, almost mammalian growl |
| Habitat tolerance | Tolerates disturbed and edge habitat well | Prefers dense tangled vegetation |
| Alarm display | Raises crest, flicks tail | Less conspicuous display |
| Conservation status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Population trend | Stable | Stable |
| Habitat | Forest, grassland | Forest, grassland |
Barred Antshrike vs Great Antshrike: common questions
Which antshrike is more tolerant of disturbed habitat?
The barred antshrike tolerates disturbed and second-growth habitat unusually well for an antbird family member, contributing to its wide distribution, while the great antshrike prefers denser, more tangled vegetation and is somewhat less associated with heavily disturbed edge habitat.
Why does the great antshrike sound so different from a typical bird?
This species produces a deep, rolling call low enough to sound almost mammalian rather than birdlike, a distinctive vocalisation quite different from the more typical antbird calls produced by the smaller barred antshrike.
How can you tell a barred antshrike from a great antshrike?
Size is the clearest indicator, since the great antshrike is considerably larger than the barred antshrike, and behaviourally the barred antshrike raises a shaggy crest and flicks its tail when alarmed, a display less associated with its larger, more secretive relative.