Thamnophilus melanonotus
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%
The black-backed antshrike (Thamnophilus melanonotus) is a species of bird in subfamily Thamnophilinae of family Thamnophilidae, the "typical antbirds". It is found in Colombia and Venezuela. The black-backed antshrike was described by the English zoologist Philip Sclater in 1855 and given the binomial name Thamnophilus melanonotus. It was subsequently placed in the genus Sakesphorus. A molecular phylogenetic study published in 2007 found that Sakesphorus was polyphyletic and that three species including the black-backed antshrike were embedded within a clade containing members of Thamnophilus. The black-backed antshrike was therefore moved back to its original genus.
The black-backed antshrike is monotypic. The black-backed antshrike is 15 to 16 cm (5.9 to 6.3 in) long. Members of genus Thamnophilus are largish members of the antbird family; all have stout bills with a hook like those of true shrikes. Adult males have a black to blackish brown head and back with white edges on the scapulars and a hidden white patch between them. Their lower back and rump are light gray. Their wings are black with wide white tips on the coverts and white... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tayrona National Natural Park | 🇨🇴 Colombia | |
| 2 | Henri Pittier National Park | 🇻🇪 Venezuela |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Black-backed Antshrike sighting in Tayrona National Natural Park on a given day, based on 84 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 130th most-seen of the 285 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
February–March, May and September–October
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Black-backed Antshrike in Tayrona National Natural Park on a given day, against under 5% in April, June–August and November–January, the lowest months.
Between 6 and 9 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Black-backed Antshrike sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Black-backed Antshrike sightings, Tayrona National Natural Park has the highest daily chance: under 5%. Next come Henri Pittier National Park (Venezuela, under 5%).
Same genus: Thamnophilus
The closest relatives of the Black-backed Antshrike that you can see in Tayrona National Natural Park (genus Thamnophilus, Typical Antshrikes) are Western Slaty-Antshrike (about 20%) and Barred Antshrike (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Black-backed Antshrike is recorded against all the birds logged in Tayrona National Natural Park (84 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
