Rufous-winged Antshrike

The rufous-winged antshrike is about 14 cm (5.5 in) long and weighs 18 to 20 g (0.63 to 0.71 oz). Members of genus Thamnophilus are largish members of the antbird family; all have stout bills with a hook like those of true shrikes. This species exhibits significant sexual dimorphism. Adult males have a black crown and a gray face, neck, and upperparts. Their wings and wing coverts are cinnamon-rufous. Their tail is black with white bars on the outer feathers. Their throat and underparts are whitish with black bars on the breast. Adult females have a rufous crown and a mottled whitish and gray face. Their upperparts are pale cinnamon-rufous. Their wings are like the male's. Their tail is rufous. Their underparts are buffy that is darker on the breast, flanks, and crissum; sometimes the breast has faint dusky bars.

The rufous-winged antshrike is found in Brazil from southern Pará east to Pernambuco and south to Rio de Janeiro state in the east. In the west its range continues southwest through Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul into eastern Bolivia's Santa Cruz Department and eastern Parguay's Canindeyú Department. It inhabits the understorey of cerrado and nearby semi-deciduous woodlands. It also inhabits brushy gallery forest and second growth such as overgrown pastures and plantations. In elevation it mostly occurs below 1,000 m (3,300 ft) but ranges as high as 1,750 m (5,700 ft).

The rufous-winged antshrike's diet has not been detailed but is mostly insects and other arthropods. It usually forages singly and in pairs, mostly in the understorey within 2 m (7 ft) of the ground though sometimes up to the canopy. It hops through vegetation, gleaning prey from leaves, stems, vines, and branches by reaching and sometimes making short upward sallies from a perch. It has been observed dropping to the ground to pick prey from the surface of leaf litter.It sometimes joins mixed-species feeding flocks.