Stretching green headed tanager, Atlantic Rainforest, Brazil

The green headed tanager (Tangara seledon) is a brightly-colored bird found in the Atlantic forest in south-eastern Brazil, far eastern Paraguay, and far north-eastern Argentina (Misiones only). As other members of the genus Tangara, it is a small colorful bird, measuring an average of 13.5 centimeters (5.3 in) and a mass of 18g (0.6 oz). The Green-headed Tanager has a greenish or bluish head, black on the back, and a contrastingly colored, orange or red rump. Females and juvenile birds have similar, though duller coloration. While essentially a bird of humid forests, it is also common in orchards and parks, where it moves through the canopy, making itself inconspicuous, as its apparently flashy blue-green coloration camouflages it well amongst the foliage. They usually travel in small flocks, either on their own or in association with a larger mixed-species flock. The diet consists both of fruit and arthropods; when foraging for arthropods, they hop along slender to medium-sized branches, and glean prey from branch surfaces and from leaves. The sister species to the Green-headed Tanager is the Seven-colored Tanager (Tangara fastuosa), a similar tanager found in northeastern Brazil. Although the behavior and plumage pattern of the Green-headed and Seven-colored tanagers are […]

White tipped dove, Atlantic Rainforest, Brazil

A secretive bird of the Neotropics, the White tipped Dove reaches the northern edge of its range in southern Texas. It spends most of its time foraging inconspicuously on the ground, occasionally bursting into the air with noisy wingbeats and distinctive flashes of chestnut color under the wings. The White-tipped Dove is more aggressive than other doves, often chasing other White-tipped Doves while foraging on the ground. As many as 13 or 14 subspecies of White-tipped Dove are recognized across its range. The white tipped dove (Leptotila verreauxi) is a large New World tropical dove. Its scientific name commemorates the French naturalists Jules and Edouard Verreaux. The dove is about 28 cm (11 in) long and weighs 155 g (5.5 oz). Adult birds of most races have a grey tinge from the crown to the nape, a pale grey or whitish forehead and a whitish throat. The eye-ring is typically red in most of its range, but blue in most of the Amazon and northern South America. The upperparts and wings are grey-brown, and the underparts are whitish shading to pinkish, dull grey or buff on the chest. The underwing coverts are rufous. The tail is broadly tipped with white, […]

Slaty breasted wood rail, Atlantic Rainforest, Brazil

The slaty-breasted wood rail (Aramides saracura) is a species of bird in the family Rallidae. It is found in the southern Atlantic Forest of Brazil and eastern Paraguay. Its natural habitats are temperate forests, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, subtropical or tropical moist montane forest, and rivers. The Slaty-breasted Wood-Rail is a shy and little-known inhabitant of forest and freshwater marshes in southern Brazil and northern Argentina. Slaty-breasted Wood-Rails have grey on the head and neck that extends to the bird’s belly and chestnut underwing coverts, with a greenish blue bill and yellow-brown legs. A rarely seen bird, little is known about the rail’s breeding or foraging behavior. A nest found 2 m above the ground in thick brush in Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil represents the only nest known nest of the Slaty-breasted Wood-Rails. Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Shy and infrequently observed; status unknown over most of range, but common in N & E Rio Grande do Sul. A study from Paraná, Brazil, found that this species’ diet consisted of 52.6% Coleoptera, 22% seeds and 25.4% other plant material.

Half collared tree sparrow , Atlantic Rainforest, Brazil

The half collared tree sparrow (Arremon semitorquatus) is a species of bird in the family Passerellidae. It is endemic to southeastern Brazil. Only recently treated as a separate species from the widespread Pectoral Sparrow (Arremon taciturnus), the Half-collared (or Semi-collared) Sparrow is endemic to the Atlantic Forest of Brazil, between Espírito Santo and northern Rio Grande do Sul. It occurs in the undergrowth of humid forest and woodland, in both the lowlands and more montane regions, and is easily overlooked, in part through its undoubted scarcity, but also due to its relatively secretive habits and quiet vocalizations. Compared to the Pectoral Sparrow, with which there is only marginal overlap, the present species is easily distinguished, given good views, by its lemon-yellow lower mandible, ‘interrupted’ breast band, and reduced yellow on the wing-bend. However, there seem to be no differences in behavior between the two species. The half collared tree sparrow natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and heavily degraded former forest. It is Forages on ground, often by scratching in leaf litter. Tends to be found singly, sometimes in pairs or family groups. It is not globally threatened and is concerned least concern by IUCN and is […]

Pair of olive green tanager, Atlantic Rainforest, Brazil

  The olive-green tanager (Orthogonys chloricterus) is a species of bird of the family Mitrospingidae, in the monotypic genus Orthogonys. It is endemic to Brazil, where its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist montane forests and heavily degraded former forest. The sole member of one of several Thraupidae genera that is endemic to Brazil, the Olive-green Tanager inhabits coastal montane forest, principally above 900 m, in the southeast of the country between Espírito Santo and Santa Catarina. This comparatively large-bodied tanager is very distinctively but rather uniformly plumaged, being dull olive-green above, and rather yellower below. It seems to be largely or exclusively a group-living species, often being observed in bands of up to circa ten individuals, which forage for insects and fruits, even visiting bird tables in some places, and at least occasionally serving as a nucleus for mixed-species foraging flocks. To date, very little has been published concerning the Olive-green Tanager’s breeding behavior. The olive green tanager feeds on Insects; some fruit, including Cecropia catkins. It usually Occurs in flocks of about eight individuals, occasionally up to 20, most often in mixed hunting parties. It is not globally threatened and is concerned least concern by IUCN and […]