Fringe-backed fire-eye

Pyriglena atra

Photo by Sidnei dos Santos (Biodiversitas)

Common name:
fringe-backed fire-eye (en); papa-taoca-da-Bahia (pt); alapi noir (fr); ojodefuego de Bahía (es); fleckenmantel-feuerauge (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family  Thamnophilidae

Range:
This species is only found in a narrow coastal area in the Brazilian state of Bahia, between Salvador and Aracaju.

Size:
These birds are 17-18 cm long and weigh 35 g.

Habitat:
The fringe-backed fire-eye is mostly found in dense undergrowth of lowland tropical moist forests, also using second growths and other semi-open areas. They are found from sea level up to an altitude of 250 m.

Diet:
They follow army ant swarms, especially Eciton burchellii, hunting the animals flushed by the ants including spiders, grasshoppers, cockroaches, beetles, crickets and moths.

Breeding:
The fringe-backed fire-eye nests on an open cup made of twigs, plant fibres and dry leaves, placed on the ground. The female lays 2 eggs, which are incubated for 18-20 days. The chicks fledge about 13 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - EN (Endangered)
This species has a relatively small breeding range and a global population estimated at just 600-1.700 individuals. The population is declining rapidly due to ongoing habitat loss and fragmentation.

Thekla lark

Galerida theklae

Photo by Marco Valentini (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:
Thekla lark (en); cotovia-montesina (pt); cochevis de Thékla (fr); cogujada montesina (es); Theklalerche (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Alaudidae

Range:
This species is found is found in south-eastern France, Spain and Portugal, and from Western Sahara and Morocco to Libya and north-western Egypt. There is also a disjunct population in Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia and northern Kenya.

Size:
These birds are 17-19 cm long and have a wingspan of 28-36 cm. They weigh 34-37 g.

Habitat:
Thekla larks are mostly found in dry scrublands and rocky areas, also using dry grasslands, pastures and arable land. They are present at altitudes of 50-3.200 m.

Diet:
They forage on the ground, mainly eating seeds and green plant material. During the breeding season they also eat insects and earthworms.

Breeding:
Thekla larks breed in April-June. The female builds the nest, a small cup made of dry grasses and placed on the ground. There she lays 2-6 light brown eggs with darker blotches, which she incubates alone for 11-17 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 15-16 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and the global population is estimated at 9-25 million individuals. The population is declining in Spain, due to habitat loss and degradation, but is believed to be stable elsewhere.

Booted racket-tail

Ocreatus underwoodii

Photo by Larry Thompson (Discover Life)

Common name:
booted racket-tail (en); beija-flor-de-raquetes (pt); haut-de-chausses à palettes (fr); colibrí de raquetas (es); flaggensylphe (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Apodiformes
Family Trochilidae

Range:
This species is found along the slopes of the Andes from Venezuela south to Bolivia.

Size:
The females are 7,5-9 cm long, while the males are 12-15 cm long due to the two long tail feather than can grow to 7,5 cm. They weigh 2,6-3,2 g.

Habitat:
The booted racket-tail is mostly found in mountain rainforests, but also use rainforests in lowland areas and open second growths. They can be found at altitudes of 600-4.000 m.

Diet:
They feed mainly on nectar from red tubular flowers of several plant species, but also take insects and small spiders.

Breeding:
Booted racket-tails can breed all year round, varying between different parts of their range. The female builds the nest, a tiny cup made of plant fibres and lichens, bound together with spider webs. The nest is lined with softer plant fibres and animal hair and down. It is placed on an horizontal twigs in a tree, 6-8 m above the ground.There she lays 2 white eggs, which she incubates alone for 16-17 days. The chicks are fed by the female and fledge 19-22 days after hatching.

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

Scarlet myzomela

Myzomela sanguinolenta

Photo by Andy Mackie (Flickr)

Common name:
scarlet myzomela (en); melífago-escarlate (pt); myzomèle écarlate (fr); mielero escarlata (es); scharlachhonigfresser (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Meliphagidae

Range:
The scarlet myzomela is found along the east coast of Australia, from Cooktown, Queensland to Gippsland, Victoria. It is also found in Sulawesi, the Moluccas and Lesser Sundas, Indonesia and in New Caledonia.

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

Habitat:
The scarlet myzomela is mostly found in tropical and temperate open forests and woodlands, favouring areas with sparse understory and located near wetlands. They also use rainforests and mangroves, dry savannas, scrublands, rural gardens and urban areas.

Diet:
They feed mainly on nectar and sometimes on fruit and insects.

Breeding:
Scarlet myzomelas breed in July-January. They are monogamous and build a small cup-shaped nest, made of fine bark and grass bound with spider webs and lined with fine plant materials. The nest is suspended from an horizontal branch or in a fork. The female lays 2 eggs, which she incubates alone for 12 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 12 days after hatching. Each pair can raise up to 3 broods per season.

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

Scimitar-billed woodcreeper

Drymornis bridgesii

Photo by Cláudio Timm (Flickr)

Common name:
scimitar-billed woodcreeper (en); arapaçu-platino (pt); grimpar porte-sabre (fr); trepatroncos chinchero (es); degenschnabel-baumsteiger (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Dendrocolaptidae

Range:
This species is found in Argentina, south-eastern Bolivia, extreme southern Brazil, western Paraguay and western and central Uruguay.

Size:
These birds are29-35 cm long and weigh 75-110 g.

Habitat:
The scimitar-billed woodcreeper is mostly found in chaco woodland and scrublands, savannas with Acacia and Proposis, palm savannas, dry tropical forests and rural gardens. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 1.000 m.

Diet:
They feed on spiders, centipedes, millipedes, scorpions and insects such as locusts, caterpillars and the larvae of beetles and ant-lions.

Breeding:
Scimitar-billed woodcreepers breed in September-December. They nest in tree cavities, using both natural cavities and old woodpecker nests, occasionally also using abandoned nests of rufous hornero Furnarius rufus or even unused chimneys. The nest is usually 1-2 m above the ground and lined with leaves, bark or wood chips. The female lays 3 white eggs, which are incubated by both parents for about 14 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 3 weeks after hatching, but remain dependent on the parents for several months.

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

White-naped crane

Grus vipio

Photo by Robin Newlin (Birds Korea)

Common name:
white-naped crane (en); grou-de-pescoço-branco (pt); grue à cou blanc (fr); grulla cuelliblanca (es); weißnackenkranich (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Gruiformes
Family Gruidae

Range:
This species breeds in eastern Mongolia, north-eastern China and extreme south-eastern Russia. They migrate south to winter in Korea, southern Japan and along the Yangtze river basin, in the Chinese provinces of Hubei, Anhui and Jiangsu.


Size:
This large crane is 125-140 cm long and has a wingspan of 200-210 cm. They weigh 4,7-6,5 kg.

Habitat:
The white-naped crane is found in wetlands along river valleys, grassy marshes, wet sedge meadows, and on islands of steppe lakes with reed bed. They also use wheat fields and other farmland, and occasionally coastal flats.

Diet:
They feed on insects, small vertebrates such as frogs and toads, the seeds, roots and tubers of sedges and other wetland plants, and also fruits, rice grains and other cereals such as wheat.

Breeding:
White-naped cranes breed in April-September. They are monogamous ans mate for life. The nest is made of dried sedges and grasses, and placed on the ground in an open wetlands, typically amongst dense vegetation. There the female lays 1-3 light brown eggs with reddish speckles, which are incubated by both parents for 30-33 days. The chicks leave the nest soon after hatching, and may be fed by the parents for few days, but quickly start foraging by themselves. They chicks are protected by the parents until they fledge, 70-75 days after hatching, and follow the parents during migration with the family remaining together over the winter.

Conservation:
IUCN status -VU (Vulnerable)
This species has a large breeding range, but the global population is estimated at just 3.300-3.900 individuals. Although accurate data on population trends are lacking, numbers are thought likely to be in rapid decline owing to habitat loss in both the breeding and wintering grounds, through wetland drainage, livestock grazing and construction of dams, as well as other negative factors such as hunting, disturbance, nest predation and pollution. Conservation actions underway include legal protection of important breeding and wintering areas and artificial feeding in Japanese wintering areas.

Spotted tanager

Tangara punctata

Photo by Anselmo d'Affonseca (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:
spotted tanager (en); saíra-negaça (pt); calliste syacou (fr); tangara goteada (es); drosseltangare (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Thraupidae

Range:
This species is found in two separate populations in South America, one along the eastern slopes of the Andes, from northern Ecuador to central Bolivia, and another in north-eastern Brazil, the Guyanas and eastern Venezuela.

Size:
These birds are 11-13 cm long and weigh 13-17 g.

Habitat:
The spotted tanager is found high in the canopy of tropical rainforests, both in lowland and mountainous areas. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 1.700 m.

Diet:
They feed mainly on fruits, also taking berries, seeds and a few arthropods.

Breeding:
Spotted tanagers breed in a cup-shaped nest, placed high up on a tree, where the female lays 2-3 eggs. The eggs are incubated for 15-17 days and the chicks fledge about 2 weeks after hatching. Each pair may raise 2-3 broods per season.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is described as fairly common. The population is suspected to be declining, based on current models of Amazonian deforestation, but the spotted tanager is not threatened at present.