Giant Antshrike

35 cm. A large antshrike the size of a blue jay which is surprisingly difficult to observe. The big, grayish yellow, hooked bill and the long tail are prominent. <NMale has a black, crested crown and a black back with narrow white banding. Below slate-gray, the sides of the lower belly banded black and white. Tail black, banded white.<N The female has a rusty crown becoming black further back. Back banded narrowly buff on black. Underside buff, with black banding on the sides of the lower belly. Song is a sequence of loud and high descending whistles like "diu diu diu diu diu" increasing in speed. Call is a low descending repeated "chiurrr". A rarely heard call vocalizations 6 is a sequence of "ziu ziu ziu ziu..". Frequently in pairs. Extremely shy and skulking low in dense brush and forest, although some times approaching the observer in a curious manner. Usually well hidden and hard to see, especially when singing. Much easier to observe when foraging in the canopy of the forest. Uncommon at all levels of humid forest, forest borders and secondary brush, but mostly in lower growth. Throughout the area, but rare or absent close to the shore. Regularly encountered in the Serra Mantiqueira, near<8E>Campos do Jord<C4>o<8E>. Also <8E>Fazenda Intervales, PE PE Jacupiranga<8E>. To 1900 meters in the <8E>Serra Mantiqueira<8E>. Seems to undergo significant long term fluctuations with regard to its frequency of occurrence. In some years quite common in certain areas, where it cannot be found in other years. 4463 Call. Fazenda Intervales, 11<10>5<10>95. Sunny, 30<91>C. Dense secondary scrub. With /Trogon viridis .: 8578 Call. Fazenda Intervales, 11<10>29<10>97. Sunny, 27<91>C. Secondary forest.: 2774 Song. 10<10>23<10>99, Serra da Mantiqueira, Agulhas Negras road. Clear, cool 16<91>C , in the morning fog. Montane forest. With /Phylloscartes difficilis, Thamnophilus caerulescens, Tijuca atra, Basileuterus leucoblepharus .: 2067 Song and call. 10<10>23<10>99, Serra da Mantiqueira, Agulhas Negras road. Clear, cool, 18<91>C. Montane forest. With /Tijuca atra, Chiroxiphia caudata, Basileuterus leucoblepharus .: 7739 Song, PE Jacupiranga State Park, 10<10>24<10>94, dense scrub in clearing of primary forest,. With /Procnias nudicollis, Vireo olivaceus .: 5136 Call. Serra das Orgaos, 10<10>29<10>00. Rainy. Primary rainforest. With /Dysithamnus xanthopterus .: 3096 > :