The male barred antshrikes are barred with black and white and have a black crest with white underneath that they can raise. These birds forage by gleaning arthropods (mostly insects) from branches and leaves, although they can also hawk flying insects or rapidly flip leaves in search of a meal. They mainly consume grasshoppers and crickets, cockroaches, praying mantises, stick insects and the larvae of butterflies and moths as well as spiders, scorpions and centipedes.