Distribution

The Western Slaty-Antshrike is a resident on the Caribbean slope from southern Belize and eastern Guatemala south to Costa Rica, and in Panama (entire Caribbean slope, and Pacific slope from Coclé eastward), western Colombia, western Ecuador, and extreme northwestern Peru (Tumbes; Walker 2002); and in northern Colombia in the Cauca and Magdalena valleys. It does not migrate latitudinally and no reports of altitudinal migration exist. Nevertheless, extensive studies of Western Slaty-Antshrikes have been conducted only in the lowlands.  The elevational distribution ranges from 0 to 1500 m.

The Western Slaty-Antshrike has not been reported outside the Americas.

Western Slaty-Antshrikes occur in primary and secondary tropical moist and evergreen forests as well as forest edges. They exist in a greater variety of habitats and seem to prefer forest interiors more than other species within the former T. punctatus complex (Isler et al. 1997). They are more common in the understory and midcanopy than canopy, yet they can still be observed at the top of the canopy (up to 35 m) (Oniki 1975, Greenberg 1981). They have higher densities in moist forests compared to dry forests in Panama (Libsch 2005). In Nicaragua, Western Slaty-Antshrikes were found only in the forest interior, and not in forest gaps and edges (Cody 2000).

No historical range or habitat changes are reported. Loss of lowland forests throughout range has likely reduced their range and overall numbers. For example, Western Slaty- Antshrikes are not found in areas that have been converted to cacao plantations (Van Bael et al. 2007). Nevertheless, they are still present in many small habitat patches. In Panama, on Barro Colorado Island, where other understory insectivores have declined (Robinson 1999), Western Slaty-Antshrikes persist and may have even increased in density (CET pers. obs., W. D. Robinson, pers. comm.). Furthermore, they are found on small islands up to 2 kilometers from the nearest large landmass (Moore et al. 2008), and have been observed in small patches around Gamboa and Old Gamboa Road (CET and JPK pers. obs.).

None reported.