About Sakesphorus luctuosus (Lichtenstein, 1823)
The glossy antshrike, scientifically named Sakesphorus luctuosus (Lichtenstein, 1823), is approximately 17 cm (6.7 in) long and weighs between 27 and 33 g (0.95 to 1.2 oz). This species shows minor sexual dimorphism, and both sexes possess a shaggy crest. Adult males are almost entirely black, with dark gray lower back, rump, lower belly, and crissum. A small amount of white is mostly hidden under their scapulars, and the tips of their tail feathers are white. The quantity of white varies slightly across the species' range. Adult females are very similar to males, but have a deep chestnut-brown forehead and crest. Subadult males resemble adult females, and usually have some black in the crest. The glossy antshrike occurs across most of the Brazilian Amazon Basin, typically along the main Amazon river and its southern tributaries. Its range is roughly bounded to the northwest by east-central Amazonas, to the northeast by Pará and Tocantins, to the southwest by northeastern Rondônia, and to the south and southeast by southeastern Mato Grosso and Goiás. It lives in forest and woodlands along rivers and smaller watercourses, primarily in igapó and várzea, but also in areas that flood rarely. It is found locally on islands within larger rivers. It tends to prefer forest understorey to mid-storey that is dense with shrubs and vines. Its elevation range extends from sea level to around 250 m (800 ft).
