Fasciated Antshrike

Female Zebra Ameisenwürger ( Cymbilaimus lineatus ) in Panama

The Zebra Ameisenwürger ( Cymbilaimus lineatus ) is a passerine bird of the family of ants birds.

Features

The 17 cm long Zebra Ameisenwürger is a stocky bird with a large head, thick beak with root tip and red eyes. The plumage of the male is on the upper side colored black with fine white stripes, under hand, finely banded black and white. The female is similar to banded brown and yellow-brown.

Occurrence

The Zebra Ameisenwürger comes from Honduras via Colombia to northwestern Ecuador before and on the east side of the Andes from Colombia to northern Bolivia and Brazil, where it can be found at the forest edge, clearings or along waterways.

Behavior

The Zebra Ameisenwürger hunting insects fleeing army ants.

Reproduction

Zebra Ameisenwürger enter into a lifelong partnership. To strengthen the bond, the male performs at the beginning of the breeding season, a courtship ritual and passes the females feed items as a gift. In a cup nest is built in forks of branches of shrubs or trees, two eggs are incubated by both parents birds.