Feb 09
by Admin in Brazil, Pantanal 0 comments tags: Alwan, art, Avian, Bangalore, Bird, birds, Brazil, Digitalfrescos, Giant cowbird, Nikkor, Nikkor 500, Nikon, Nikon D500, Pantanal

Giant cowbird looking for titbits, Pantanal, Brazil

As its common name indicates, the Giant Cowbird is a large cowbird. Indeed the Giant Cowbird dwarfs any other species of Molothrus, and at first glance may seem to have little in common with other cowbirds. Like other species of Molothrus, however, the Giant Cowbird is a brood parasite, and lays its eggs in the nest of other large-bodied birds, principally oropendolas (Psarocolius, perhaps other genera as well) and caciques (Cacicus). The male Giant Cowbird has a conspicuous ruff of feathers around the neck; this ruff may contribute to the Giant Cowbird’s peculiar small-headed appearance. This species has a wide geographic range; it’s distribution may be spreading higher into the Andes following deforestation, but it also may have been extirpated from some areas after the host species disappeared following the loss of their forest habitat. The Giant Cowbird is one of the larger species of icterid. It is wholly black with long and pointed wings, a rather long and rounded tail, a stout black bill with broad and flattened frontal shield, and with the feathers of sides of neck developed into erectile lateral ruffs. ail about three-fourths as long as wing, rounded, rectrices with broad ends. Tarsus with anterior scutella […]
Read More
Feb 09
by Admin in Brazil, Pantanal 0 comments tags: Alwan, art, Avian, Bangalore, Bird, birds, Brazil, Digitalfrescos, Nikkor, Nikkor 500, Nikon, Nikon D500, Pantanal, Yellow billed cardinal

Yellow billed Cardinal, Pantanal, Brazil

The various species in this genus of cardinals are actually tanager-finches, quite distantly related from the true cardinals in the family Cardinalidae. Yellow-billed Cardinal is not a crested species, so other than having red on the head, there is nothing very cardinal-like about it at all. It is a very striking species though! The head is bright red, turning black on the throat, making it look like it has a black bib. As the name states, the bill is yellow, almost orange in fact and about the same color as the legs. The underparts are white and the upperparts blackish, and these are separated by a white half collar from the red head. This cardinal is a species of streamside vegetation, being found also around lakes and swamps and often feeding right from the water’s edge. Where it overlaps with the larger Red-crested Cardinal (Paroaria coronata), Red-crested takes habitats in drier and shrubbier habitats, while Yellow-billed is more of the wetland species. However, they both overlap to some extent. The bright coloration and nice song has made them a prime candidate as a cage bird, through parts of Argentina and southern Brazil. It has been successfully introduced to several of […]
Read More
Feb 09
by Admin in Brazil, Pantanal 0 comments tags: Alwan, art, Avian, Bangalore, Bird, birds, Brazil, Crab eating fox, Digitalfrescos, Nikkor, Nikkor 500, Nikon, Nikon D500, Pantanal

Crab eating fox sniffing for food, Pantanal, Brazil

The Crab-eating fox tends to have a similar size and shape to most foxes. It is mainly grayish-brown, with red areas on the legs and face, and on its long, bushy, black-tipped tail and ears. Its legs are short and strong and its coat is thick and short. Coloration varies from brown to pale or dark gray, to yellowish. Along the back legs there is a black streak, with a black stripe on the spine. On the muzzle, ears and paws the fur is more reddish. The ear tips, tail and legs are black and the ears are round and wide. The torso is rather narrow. The Crab-eating fox lives in central South America. It ranges from Colombia and Venezuela as far as Uruguay, Paraguay, and Northern Argentina. Its habitat mostly includes savannahs and woodlands; however, it is known to live in a range of other areas including edge and forested areas. It may prefer higher areas during the rainy season, moving to lowlands in the dry season. The Crab-eating fox is mainly nocturnal and is also active during dusk, spending the day in a den dug by other animals. These foxes travel together in pairs but hunt as individuals. […]
Read More
Feb 09
by Admin in Brazil, Pantanal 0 comments tags: Alwan, art, Avian, Bangalore, Bird, birds, Brazil, Digitalfrescos, Nikkor, Nikkor 500, Nikon, Nikon D500, Pantanal, Toco Toucan

Toco Toucan on the ground, Pantanal, Brazil

The toco toucan (Ramphastos toco), also known as the common toucan, giant toucan or simply toucan, is the largest and probably the best known species in the toucan family. It is found in semi-open habitats throughout a large part of central and eastern South America. It is a common attraction in zoos. The Toco Toucan is the one of the most recognizable tropical birds in the Americas. The only non-forest toucan, the Toco Toucan is found along forest edges and in low wet grassland from Guyana south to Argentina, and from central Brazil west to southeastern Peru. Toco Toucans are the largest species of toucan and can be identified by their black body, white bib, red undertail coverts and large red-orange bill. Toco Toucans feed extensively on figs and other fruit, and also occasionally prey on insects and nestling birds. When foraging, these birds travel in small groups in the canopy, gliding in single file from site to site. The toco toucan has a striking plumage with a mainly black body, a white throat, chest and uppertail-coverts, and red undertail-coverts. What appears to be a blue iris is actually thin blue skin around the eye. This blue skin is surrounded […]
Read More
Feb 09
by Admin in Brazil, Pantanal 0 comments tags: Alwan, art, Avian, Bangalore, Bird, birds, Brazil, Digitalfrescos, Nikkor, Nikkor 500, Nikon, Nikon D500, Pantanal, Toco Toucan

Toco Toucan with open bill, Pantanal, Brazil

The toco toucan (Ramphastos toco), also known as the common toucan, giant toucan or simply toucan, is the largest and probably the best known species in the toucan family. It is found in semi-open habitats throughout a large part of central and eastern South America. It is a common attraction in zoos. The Toco Toucan is the one of the most recognizable tropical birds in the Americas. The only non-forest toucan, the Toco Toucan is found along forest edges and in low wet grassland from Guyana south to Argentina, and from central Brazil west to southeastern Peru. Toco Toucans are the largest species of toucan and can be identified by their black body, white bib, red undertail coverts and large red-orange bill. Toco Toucans feed extensively on figs and other fruit, and also occasionally prey on insects and nestling birds. When foraging, these birds travel in small groups in the canopy, gliding in single file from site to site. The toco toucan has a striking plumage with a mainly black body, a white throat, chest and uppertail-coverts, and red undertail-coverts. What appears to be a blue iris is actually thin blue skin around the eye. This blue skin is surrounded […]
Read More