White-shouldered Antshrike

The white-shouldered antshrike (Thamnophilus aethiops) is a species of bird in subfamily Thamnophilinae of family Thamnophilidae, the "typical antbirds". It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela. == Taxonomy and systematics == The white-shouldered antshrike was described by the English zoologist Philip Sclater in 1858 and given the binomial name Thamnophilus aethiops. It, the uniform antshrike (T. unicolor), and the upland antshrike (T. aroyae) form a superspecies or are sister species. The white-shouldered antshrike has these 10 subspecies: Several of the subspecies are separated by rivers in the Amazon Basin and authors have suggested that they might represent individual species. == Description == The white-shouldered antshrike is 15 to 17 cm (5.9 to 6.7 in) long and weighs 23 to 30 g (0.81 to 1.1 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. aethiops are mostly black. They have a few white spots on their wing's lesser coverts and the bend of the wing, white underwing coverts, and a blackish gray lower belly and crissum. Adult females…