Black antbird

Cercomacra serva

Photo by Anselmo d'Affonseca (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:
black antbird (en); chororó-preto (pt); grisin noir (fr); hormiguero negro (es); südlicher trauerameisenfänger (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Thamnophilidae

Range:
This species is found from southern Colombia and eastern Ecuador, through eastern Peru and into north-western Bolivia and extreme western Brazil.

Size:
These birds are 13,5-14,5 cm long and weigh 15-17 g.

Habitat:
The black antbird is mostly found in the understorey of moist tropical forests and swamp forests, also using the vegetation surrounding freshwater lakes. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 1.350 m.

Diet:
They often follow ant swarms, taking various insects and spiders that try to escape the ants.

Breeding:
Black antbirds breed nest in a pensile hanging cup made of dark fibres, dry leaves, sticks and fresh moss. The female lays 2 eggs which are incubated by both sexes for about 14 days. The chicks are mostly fed by the female and fledge 12-14 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range but is described as uncommon. Based on a model of Amazonian deforestation the black antbird is suspected to lose 9,5-10% of suitable habitat within its range over the next 2 decades. Given the susceptibility of the species to fragmentation and edge effects, it is therefore suspected to suffer a small decline in the near future.

Three-striped warbler

Basileuterus tristriatus

Photo by R.S. Scanlon (Mango Verde)

Common name:
three-striped warbler (en); pula-pula-de-cabeça-listada (pt); paruline triligne (fr); reinita cabecilistada (es); dreistreifen-waldsänger (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Parulidae

Range:
This species is found in Costa Rica, Panama and northern Colombia and Venezuela, and along the Andes from western Colombia down to central Bolivia.

Size:
These birds are 13 cm long and weigh 10-13 g.

Habitat:
The three-striped warbler is found in mid-altitude, moist tropical forests, mainly at altitudes of 1.000-2.000 m, but ocasionally as low as 300 m and as high as 2.700 m.

Diet:
They feed mainly on arthropods, may possibly also take some vegetable mater.

Breeding:
Three-striped warblers breed in February-September. The nest is a small domed cup with a side entrance, usually placed on a steep slope or bank, or built into the leaf litter or under the base of a sapling or small trees. There the female lays 1-3 white eggs with brown spots, which she incubates alone for about 16 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 10-11 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a large breeding range and is described as common. The population is suspected to be in decline owing to ongoing habitat destruction.

Coscoroba swan

Coscoroba coscoroba

Photo by Cláudio Timm (Flickr)

Common name:
coscoroba swan (en); capororoca (pt); coscoroba blanc (fr); cisne coscoroba (es); coscorobaschwan (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Anseriformes
Family Anatidae

Range:
This species breeds throughout most of Argentina, south-eastern Chile and in the Falklands. The more southern population from Argentina and Chile migrate north to winter along the central coast of Chile, and in northern Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and southern Brazil as far north as São Paulo.

Size:
These birds are 90-115 cm long and have a wingspan of 155-160 cm. Males tend to be larger than females, weighing 3,8-5,4 kg while females weigh 3,1-4,5 kg.

Habitat:
The coscoroba swan is found in freshwater lakes and swamps, favouring wetlands with well-vegetated margins.

Diet:
They are omnivorous, taking both vegetable matter such as grass and aquatic plants, and small aquatic invertebrates and fishes.

Breeding:
Coscoroba swans breed in May-December, varying among different parts of their range. They are monogamous and mate for life, nesting in solitary pairs or in small colonies. The nest is a large mound of aquatic plants, lined with grasses and down, and placed in a small islands, among reedbeds or in tall grasses, always near water. The female lays 4-7 eggs, which she incubates alone for 28-36 days. The chicks leave the nest soon after hatching and are able to swim and feed themselves, being protected from predators by both parents. They reach sexual maturity at 3 years of age.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and the global population is estimated at 6.700-17.000 individuals. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Karoo prinia

Prinia maculosa

Photo by Martin Flack (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:
Karoo prinia (en); fuinha-malhada (pt); prinia du Karoo (fr); prinia del Karoo (es); fleckenprinie (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Cisticolidae

Range:
This species is found in South Africa, as far north as Lesotho and Bloemfontein, and into Namibia.

Size:
These birds are 12-15 cm long and weigh 7-11 g.

Habitat:
The Karoo prinia is mostly found in dry scrublands such as fynbos, Karoo scrub and renosterveld, but also use dry savannas, the edges of dry tropical forests, rural gardens and arable land.

Diet:
They feed on various small insects, including caterpillars, beetles, bugs, grasshoppers and flies, also being known to take skinks.

Breeding:
Karoo prinias breed in July-January, with a peak in August-November. The nest is built by both sexes, consisting of an oval or pear shaped structure with a side entrance, made of woven grass and lined with plant down or wool. It is typically concealed it in a tuft of spiny grass, a sapling or scrub. There the female lays 1-5 eggs which she incubates alone for 11-17 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 10-14 days after hatching. Each pair usually raises 2 broods per season.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a large breeding range and is described as common to abundant. The population is suspected to be in decline owing to potentially increasing grazing pressure

Green shrike-vireo

Vireolanius pulchellus

Photo by Dominic Sherony (Wikipedia)

Common name:
green shrike-vireo (en); assobiador-verde (pt); smaragdan émeraude (fr); vireón esmeralda (es); smaragdvireo (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Vireonidae

Range:
This species is found in Central America, from southern Mexico to Panama.

Size:
These birds are 13,5-14,5 cm long and weigh 22-30 g.

Habitat:
The green shrike-vireo is mostly found in the canopies of lowland rainforests, also using mountain rainforests, forest edges and second growths. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 1.800 m.

Diet:
They feed on various arthropods, such as caterpillars, also taking fruits, berries and seeds.

Breeding:
Green shrike-vireos breed in March-June. The nest is a mossy cup, possibly made by the female alone and placed high-up in the tree canopy. There is no further information on the reproduction of this species.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a large breeding range and the global population is estimated at 50.000-500.000 individuals. Current rates of habitat loss within its range, caused by agricultural clearing, cattle farming, road projects, and the growing human population, suggest this species may be declining.

Band-tailed barbthroat

Threnetes ruckeri

(Photo from Birds & Birds)

Common name:
band-tailed barbthroat (en); balança-rabo-de-Rücker (pt); ermite de Rücker (fr); ermitaño barbudo colibandeado (es); weißbinden-schattenkolibri (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Apodiformes
Family Trochilidae

Range:
This species is found from southern Belize and eastern Guatemala south to north-western Venezuela, western Colombia and western Ecuador.

Size:
These birds are 10-11 cm long and weigh 5-7 g.

Habitat:
The band-tailed barbthroat is mostly found in the understorey of lowland rainforests, also using mountain rainforests, forests edges, mature and dense second growths, moist scrublands and plantations.

Diet:
They feed mainly on the nectar of tubular flowers, namely Heliconia, Costus and Calathea, also taking some small spiders and insects.

Breeding:
Band-tailed barbthroats can breed all year round, varying among different parts of their range. The nest is a small cup made of rootlets, fungal rhizomes and fine plant materials, usually attached with spider webs to the underside of a palm frond, fern or Heliconia leave. There the female lays 2 eggs which she incubates alone for 17-18 days. Unlike most other hummingbirds, males may provide females with food during incubation. The chicks fledge about 24 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a large breeding range and is described as uncommon. There is no available information regarding population trends.

Common newtonia

Newtonia brunneicauda

Photo by David Cook (Flickr)

Common name:
common newtonia (en); newtonia-comum (pt); newtonie commune (fr); newtonia común (es); rostbauchnewtonie (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Sylviidae

Range:
This species is endemic to Madagascar, being found throughout the country.

Size:
These birds are 12 cm long and weigh 7-14 g.

Habitat:
The common newtonia is mostly found in the undergrowth of both moist and dry tropical forests, also using scrublands and mangroves.

Diet:
They feed on small arthropods, including spiders, beetles, cockroaches, bugs and flies.

Breeding:
Common newtonias breed in July-March. The nest is a deep cup hidden in low vegetation. There is no further information regarding the reproduction of this species.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a large breeding range and is described as very common in native forests throughout Madagascar. There is no information regarding population trends.