Greater thornbird

Phacellodomus ruber

Photo by Markus Lagerqvist (Pbase)

Common name:
greater thronbird (en); graveteiro (pt); synallaxe rouge (fr); espinero grande (es); rotbrauner bündelnister (de)


Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Furnariidae


Range:
This South American species is found in central and southern Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, northern Argentina and northern Uruguay.


Size:
These birds are 19-21 cm long and weigh 35-50 g.


Habitat:
Greater thornbirds are found in the undergrowth of tropical moist forests, in moist scrublands, riverine thickets, marshes and degraded former forests. They are present at altitudes of 300-1.400 m.


Diet:
They forage on the ground, among dense vegetation or near the edges of water bodies, taking insects, such as ants and beetles, and other small invertebrates.


Breeding:
The greater thornbird breeds in October-January. The nest is a bulky, cone-shaped structure, made of sticks, twigs, and branches and lined with fine grasses and feathers. It is placed in low vegetation, 1-3 m above the ground, and often over water. The female lays 3-4 white eggs, which are incubated by both parents for 20-22 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and possible fledge 25-29 days after hatching.


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

Adelie penguin

Pygoscelis adeliae

Photo by Sten Shebs (Wikipedia)

Common name:
Adelie penguin (en); pinguim-de-Adélia (pt); manchot Adélie (fr); pingüino de Adelia (es); Adeliepinguin (de)


Taxonomy:
Order Sphenisciformes
Family Spheniscidae


Range:
This species is found on the coasts of Antarctica and in nearby islands such as the South Shetlands, the South Orkneys, Bouvet, Balleny and Peter Island.


Size:
These birds are 60-75 cm long and weigh 3,6-6 kg.


Habitat:
The Adelie penguin spends the winter in large coastal ice platforms, from which he dives in the sea in search of food. During the season they are found in beaches, rocky islands and other other areas free of ice.


Diet:
They catch their prey by pursuit diving, usually less than 20 m down. They mainly eat krill, but also fishes such as Myctophidae and the Antarctic silverfish Pleuragramma antarcticum, squids and amphipods.


Breeding:
Adelie penguins breed in October-February. They are monogamous and mate for life. The nest is a pile of stones on the ground, where the female lays 1-2 eggs. The eggs are incubated by both parents for 24-43 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and remain in the nest for 4 weeks, after which they join a creche of other juvenile while still receiving food from the parents. The chicks become independent about 2 months after joining the creche. Each pair raises a single clutch per season.


Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least concern)
This species has an extremely large breeding range and the global population is estimated at 4-5,2 million individuals. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Coppery-chested jacamar

Galbula pastazae

Photo by Nick Athanas (Antpitta)

Common name:
coppery-chested jacamar (en); ariramba-acobreada (pt); jacamar des Andes (fr); jacamará cobrizo (es); kupferglanzvogel (de)


Taxonomy:
Order Galbuliformes
Family Galbulidae


Range:
This species is found along the eastern slopes of the Andes, in southern Colombia, Ecuador and across the border into northern Peru.


Size:
These birds are 23-24 cm long and weigh 30-35 g.


Habitat:
The coppery-chested jacamar is found in mountain rainforests, especially along forest edges and in nearby second growths, at altitudes of 600-1.700 m.


Diet:
They eat a wide variety of flying insects, including beetles, wasps and butterflies, which they catch by sallying out from a perch and catching them in the air.


Breeding:
Coppery-chested jacamars nest in holes well-hidden in the ground. The female lays 1-4 white eggs which are incubated by both parents for 20-23 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 21-26 days after hatching.


Conservation:
IUCN status - VU (Vulnerable)
This species has a small and fragmented breeding range, and the global population is estimated at 2.500-10.000 individuals. The population is suspected to be declining slowly as a result of habitat destruction and fragmentation. The lower slopes of the eastern Andes in Ecuador are seriously affected by clearance for small-scale agriculture, and for tea and coffee plantations, with forest disappearing at an alarming rate. In Colombia, the forest remains as the climate and terrain are unsuited to coffee or tea growing. Proposals to build a new road in the area may represent a further threat.

Canyon towhee

Melozone fuscus

Photo by Joe Schelling (Natural Moments)

Common name:
canyon towhee (en); tico-tico-pardo (pt); tohi des canyons (fr); rascador pardo (es); braunrücken-grundammer (de)


Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Emberizidae


Range:
This species is found in the south-western United States, in Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas, and in Mexico, down to Oaxaca.


Size:
These birds are 19-22 cm long and have a wingspan of 28-30 cm. They weigh 40-45 g.


Habitat:
These birds are found in arid scrublands, chaparral and pinyon-juniper woods, on desert foothills and canyons. They occur from sea level up to an altitude of 3.100 m.


Diet:
During winter they mainly feed on insects, while during spring and summer insects become an important part of their diet. They also eat fruits and berries when available.


Breeding:
Canyon towhees are monogamous and may mate for life. The nest is a bulky open cup, made of twigs, weeds and grasses, and lined with leaves, fine grass, strips of bark, and animal hair. It is usually placed in a small tree, dense scrub, or cactus, 1-4 m above the ground. The female lays 2-6 whitish eggs with reddish-brown spots, which she incubates alone for 11-12 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 9-10 days after hatching. Each pair may raise 2-3 broods per year.


Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and a global population of 7 million individuals. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Spotted dove

Streptopelia chinensis

Photo by J.M. Garg (Wikipedia)

Common name:
spotted dove (en); rola-malhada (pt); tourterelle tigrine (fr); tórtola moteada (es); perlhalstaube (de)


Taxonomy:
Order Columbiformes
Family Columbidae


Range:
This species is found throughout southern Asia, from India and northern Pakistan to north-eastern China and south to Indonesia and the Philippines. It has also been introduced in eastern and southern Australia, New Zealand and several other Pacific islands and to southern California.


Size:
These birds are 28-33 cm long and have a wingspan of 43-47 cm. They weigh around 150 g.


Habitat:
These birds are found in parks and gardens, riverine woodlands and other forests, from sea level up to an altitude of 2.400 m.


Diet:
They feed on a wide variety of seeds, which they collect from the ground.


Breeding:
Spotted doves can breed all year round. they nest on a loose platform of twigs, usually placed on a large scrub or tree, on an horizontal branch or fork of branch. The female lays 2 glossy white eggs, which are incubated by both parents for around 2 weeks. The chicks are fed crop milk and seeds by both parents and fledge 14-16 days after hatching.


Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is described as very common throughout almost all of its range. The population is suspected to be increasing as ongoing habitat degradation is creating new areas of suitable habitat.

Red-faced crombec

Sylvietta whytii

Photo by Glen Tepke (Mango Verde)

Common name:
red-faced-crombec (en); rabicurta-de-faces-vermelhas (pt); crombec à face rousse (fr); sylvieta de cara roja (es); rotzügel-sylvietta (de)


Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Sylviidae


Range:
This African species is found in East Africa, from southern Ethiopia and Sudan, through Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania and into Zimbabwe and Mozambique.


Size:
These birds are 8-9 cm long and weigh 9-11 g.


Habitat:
The red-faced crombec is mostly found in sub-tropical and tropical dry scrublands and miombo woodlands, but also in other dry forests, sub-tropical and tropical moist mountain forests and in heavily degraded patches of former forests.


Diet:
They mainly feed on invertebrates, plucking scale insects, caterpillars, spiders and small worms from twigs and branches.


Breeding:
Red-faced crombecs breed in August-December. The nest is a hanging pouch made of fine bark strips, dead leaves, lichens, seed pods and flowers, bound together with spider webs. It is typically suspended between a forked twig on the edge of a bare tree. There the female lays 1-3 eggs, which she mostly incubates alone for 13-14 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 14-17 days after hatching.


Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is described as locally fairly common. The population is suspected to be in decline owing to the destruction of miombo woodlands for agriculture.

Giant laughingthrush

Garrulax maximus

Photo by Philip He (Oriental Bird Images)

Common name:
giant laughingthrush (en); zaragateiro-gigante (pt); garrulaxe géant (fr); charlatán gigante (es); riesenhäherling (de)


Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Timaliidae


Range:
This species is found in south-western China and in northern India.


Size:
These birds are 32-36 cm long.


Habitat:
The giant laughingthrush is found in open broadleaf and mixed broadleaf-coniferous forests and bamboo scrublands in broadleaf evergreen forests, up to an altitude of 4.100 m.


Diet:
They mostly eat insects, but may also eat fruits and seeds.


Breeding:
Giant laughingthrushes breed in April-July. The nest is a shallow bowl, made of twigs and lined with bamboo strands and stems of various other plants. There the female lays 1-3 blue eggs which are incubated by both parents for around 2 weeks. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 17-18 days after hatching.


Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a large breeding range and, although the global population size has not been quantified, it is described as locally common. The population is suspected to be in decline owing to ongoing habitat destruction and fragmentation.