Variable Antshrike

14 cm. The form in southeast Brazil is gray above. <NMale has a black cap and a gray back with black feathers and a concealed white dorsal patch. Rump and tail black. Wings black with three rows of spotted white bars. Tail and rump feathers have white tips. Below somewhat lighter. Belly tawny. <NIn the female the crown is rufous instead of blackish, the mantle is olive-grayish, the wings and tail are grayish-black instead of black and the belly is more tawny. Otherwise like male. A low and evenly pitched "tja tja tja tja tja tja tja", about 5 syllables per second. Call a single "caw-caw-caw....", or a "gwew-o" or "ga-ee" ^30 . In dense undergrowth, but sometimes confiding and easy to see. In undergrowth of dense primary and secondary woodland and forest borders, bamboo thickets but not particularly associated with bamboo . Throughout the area, a relatively common bird, typical of the higher elevations. More inside of true forest than /Thamnophilus ruficapillus . To about 2000 meters. The southeast Brazilian forms are caerulescens and gilvigaster in the south of S<C4>o Paulo . 4181 Song. Iguape 11<10>7<10>95. Cloudy, 25<91>C. Secondary forest, scrub.: 228 Song. Serra das Rosas near Franca, 11<10>13<10>98. Sunny, 27<91>C. Secondary forest. With / Dysithamnus mentalis, Basileuterus culicivorus .: 6939 Song. 10<10>23<10>99, Serra Mantqueira, Agulhas Negras Road. Clear, cool, 20<91>C, in the morning fog. Forest. With /Tijuca atra, Phylloscartes difficilis .: 6544 Call. 10<10>23<10>99, Serra da Mantiqueira, Agulhas Negras road. Clear, cool, 16<91>C. Montane forest. With /Tijuca atra, Chamaeza ruficauda, Grallaria varia, Basileuterus leucoblepharus .: 8225 Atypical song, possibly belonging to this species, Oct. 1993, Iguape, S<C4>o Paulo. cloudy. Secondary forest.: 7365 Songs. First part-Fazenda Intervales, 11<10>10<10>95. Sunny, 25<91>C. Open scrub. <NSecond part-Espirito Santo. Recording by Juan Mazar Barnett: 6059 >: