Bay-capped wren-spinetail

Spartonoica maluroides

Photo by Carlos Schwertner (Flickr)

Common name:
bay-capped wren-spinetail (en); boininha (pt); synallaxe des marais (fr); canastero enano (es); strichelrücken-dickichtschlüpfer (de)


Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Furnariidae


Range:
This South American species is found from the southernmost tip of Brazil, through Uruguay and into eastern a central Argentina.


Size:
These birds are 14 cm long and weigh 10-12 g.


Habitat:
The bay-capped wren-spinetail is mostly found in brackish and freshwater marshes with extensive growths of Eryngium and Scirpus, and may associate with Spartina grass. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 900 m.


Diet:
These birds are insectivorous, gleaning various arthropods from marsh vegetation and grasses.


Breeding:
Bay-capped wren-spinetails breed in September-January. Both sexes build the nest, a rudimentary enclosed structure made of twigs and grasses, placed near the ground deep inside sedges and rushes. The female lays 2-4 eggs which are incubated by both sexes for 13 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 11-14 days after hatching.


Conservation:
IUCN status - NT (Near-threatened)
This species has a very large breeding range and is described as fairly common. The population is suspected to be declining slowly as a result of on-going drainage and conversion of wetland habitats, as well as the drying effects of the expanding Eucalyptus and Pinus plantations.

South African shelduck

Tadorna cana

Photo by Miriam Bauman (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:
South African shelduck (en); pato-ferrugíneo-sul-africano (pt); tadorne à tête grise (fr); tarro sudafricano (es); graukopfkasarca (de)


Taxonomy:
Order Anseriformes
Family Anatidae


Range:
This species is found throughout South Africa, in Namibia and in south-eastern Botswana.


Size:
These birds are 61-66 cm long and weigh 1-1,5 kg.


Habitat:
South African shelducks are found in shallow water wetlands, often along muddy shorelines with low grassy or scrubby vegetation. Their distribution is also influenced by the availability of vacated holes of aardvark and other mammals, which they use for nesting, so they are mostly found in wetlands located within semi-arid and grassland regions.


Diet:
They forage both in the water and on nearby crop fields, eating adult and larval crustaceans, larval insects, algae and agricultural crops like maize, rice, sorghum, wheat, oats, barley and peanuts. They also eat the seeds, leaves and roots of aquatic grasses and reeds.


Breeding:
These birds breed in March-December. The female builds the nest, using grasses, down and feathers, in a pre-existing cavity in the ground, most typically in an aardvark Orycteropus afer burrow, but also in holes of springhares Pedetes capensis or porcupines Hystrix africaeaustralis. There she lays 5-15 eggs which she incubates alone for 28-32 days. The chicks are cared for by both parents, fledging 65-75 days after hatching and becoming independent 1-2 months later.


Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and the global population is estimated at 50.000 individuals. The use of waterbodies for human recreation and the decline in aardvark populations could affect this species in the future, but the population is presently suspected to be increasing.

Chestnut-eared bunting

Emberiza fucata

Photo by Josep del Hoyo (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:
chestnut-eared bunting (en); escrevedeira-de-faces-castanhas (pt); bruant à oreillons (fr); escribano de capucha gris (es); graukopfammer (de)


Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Emberizidae


Range:
This Asian species is found breeding from the Himalayas, in northern Pakistan and India, through China and Mongolia, and into Korea and northern Japan. They migrate south to winter in southern Japan, southern China, Taiwan, north-eastern India and South-east Asia.


Size:
These birds are 15-16 cm long and weigh 18-20 g.


Habitat:
The chestnut-eared bunting is found in grasslands, scrublands, riparian vegetation and in agricultural areas.


Diet:
They mostly eat seeds of various grasses and other plants, but can also take insects and other invertebrates.


Breeding:
Chestnut-eared buntings breed in May-August. They build a cup-shaped nest on the ground, or in a low bush, where the female lays 3-6 pale greenish-grey or white eggs with brown speckles. The eggs are incubated for 12 days and the chicks fledge 12-14 days after hatching.


Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is reported to be common to locally common. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Magpie lark

Grallina cyanoleuca

(Photo from Wikipedia)

Common name:
magpie lark (en); cotovia-bicolor (pt); gralline pie (fr); alondra urraca (es); drosselstelze (de)


Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Grallinidae


Range:
This species is found in Timor, southern New Guinea and throughout Australia, occasionally also in Tasmania.


Size:
These birds are 26-30 cm long and weigh 80-115 g.


Habitat:
Magpie larks are found in almost any available habitat within their range, with the exception of dense rainforests and very dry deserts. They are often found inside urban areas.


Diet:
They forage on the ground, taking various insects and their larvae, but also earthworms, freshwater snails and even small reptiles.


Breeding:
These birds can breed all year round, with both sexes building a bowl-shaped nest, made of mud, placed in an horizontal branch or similar structure up to 20 m above the ground. There the female lays 3-5 pinkish-white eggs with brown speckles, which are incubated by both parents for 17-19 days. The chicks fledge 21 days after hatching. Each pair can raise several broods per year.


Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least concern)
The magpie lark has a very large breeding range and is described as very common. The population is suspected to be increasing as ongoing habitat degradation is creating new areas of suitable habitat.

Great frigatebird

Fregata minor

Photo by Pablo Caceres (Flickr)

Common name:
great frigatebird (en); fragata-grande (pt); frégate du Pacifique (fr); fragata-pelágica (es); bindenfregattvogel (de)


Taxonomy:
Order Pelecaniformes
Family Fregatidae


Range:
These birds are mostly found in the tropical areas of the Pacific and Indian Oceans, between 25º N and 25º S. There are also two colonies in the South Atlantic, on the islands of Trinidade and Martim Vaz, off the coast of Brazil.


Size:
Great frigatebirds are 85-105 cm long and have a wingspan of 205-230 cm. They weigh 1-1,6 kg.


Habitat:
These birds breed in small, remote islands, nesting in areas of mangrove, small bushes or on level ground. They forage on pelagic waters up to 80 km away from their breeding colonies.


Diet:
They often steal food from other sea birds, by harassing them until they drop or regurgitate a recent meal. They also hunt their own food, mostly taking flying fishes and squids, but also other fish, jellyfish and even the eggs and chicks of other birds.


Breeding:
Great frigatebirds can breed all year round, but mostly in December-September. They often form large colonies of up to 3.000 pairs, each building a large nest made of twigs and branches and lined with leaves, which is placed on a mangrove, low bush or on the ground. The female lays a single chalky-white egg which is incubated by both parents for 51-57 days. The chick is fed by both parent and fledge 17-24 weeks after hatching, but may continue to receive food from the parents for another 5-18 months. Each female only breeds once every 2 years.


Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least concern)
This species is very widespread, but the actual breeding range is relatively small as they only breed in small offshore islands. The global population is estimated at 340.000-1.000.000 individuals. The population is suspected to be in decline owing to ongoing habitat destruction and predation of eggs and young bird by introduced predators.

Blood pheasant

Ithaginis cruentus

Photo by Dhritiman Mukherjee (Oriental Bird Images)

Common name:
blood pheasant (en); faisão-sangue(pt); ithagine ensanglantée (fr); faisán de sangre (es); blutfasan (de)


Taxonomy:
Order Galliformes
Family Phasianidae


Range:
This Asian species is found in the mountains of Nepal, northern India, Bhutan, Tibet, northern Myanmar and south-central China.


Size:
Blood pheasants are 40-48 cm long and weigh 410-620 g.


Habitat:
These birds are found in coniferous and mixed forests, in bamboo forests, scrublands and alpine meadows. They occur at altitudes of 2.500-4.500 m.


Diet:
These birds eat lichens, pine seeds, green shoots, berries and some invertebrates including snails, butterflies, flies and beetles.


Breeding:
Blood pheasants breed in May-July. They nest on the ground, in a shallow saucer made of dry twigs lined with leaves, thin tree roots and mosses. The female lays 5-14 pink or yellowish white eggs with brown speckles, which she incubates alone for 27-33 days while the male stands guard. The chicks are able to walk and feed themselves just 2 days after hatching, but continue to be brooded and protected by the female for 5-6 weeks.


Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is reported to be common and widespread in some areas and scarce in others. Populations are declining throughout much of its range owing to habitat loss and degradation caused by timber extraction, overgrazing and agricultural conversion, as well as hunting pressure. Still, the blood pheasant is not considered threatened at present.

Masked water-tyrant

Fluvicola nengeta

(Photo from Paraiba)

Common name:
masked water-tyrant (en); lavadeira-mascarada (pt); moucherolle aquatique (fr); viudita enmascarada (es); graurücken-wassertyrann (de)


Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Tyrannidae


Range:
This South American species occur in two separate populations. The nominate Fluvicola nengeta nengeta is found in eastern and south-eastern Brazil, while F. n. atripennis is found on the Pacific slopes of western Ecuador and north-western Peru.


Size:
These birds are 15-16 cm long and weigh 21 g.


Habitat:
These birds are typically found near rivers and lagoons, in swamps or near the sea, using moist scrublands, cerrado woodlands, degraded tropical forests, mangroves and arable and. They are also found inside urban areas.


Diet:
Masked water-tyrants collect their prey on the ground or in the muddy banks of rivers, lagoons or swamps, mostly insects like butterflies, dragonflies, grasshoppers and larvae.


Breeding:
These birds breed in July-November. They build a cup-shaped nest made of twigs and other plant material and lined with feathers, hairs and sometimes plastic. The nest is placed on a small tree or bush, up to 2 m above the ground, generally near water. The female lays 3 white eggs with brown spots, which she seems to incubate alone for 15 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 10-12 days after hatching, but only become fully independent about 1 week later.


Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least concern)
The masked water-tyrant has a very large breeding range and is described as fairly common. This species can easily adapt to human-changed habitats and in Brazil it seems to be spreading south as a result of deforestation.