Laboratório de Tecnologia Educacional BIBLIOTECA DIGITAL               DE CIÊNCIAS

15 cm. The body is white with a band around the eye, the wing and the tail black. Distribution: From Northeastern Brazil to São Paulo. It is currently spreading its distribution southwards. Habitat: Lives in riverbanks, muddy places near lakes and ponds. Diet: Feeds mainly on arthropods, sometimes small fruits. Reproduction: The male exhibits himself standing on the body and opening the tail and the wings. The nest is spherical with a lateral entrance. It is built on small trees above the water. The white eggs are incubated by the female. Natural history: Runs on the aquatic plants, catching insects among them. Attacks other birds that enter its territory. Some people and ev...

40cm. Identification: its most typical characteristic is the long forked tail. The only species it can be confused with is the Fork-tailed Flycatcher ( Tyrannus savana ), which has the lower parts in white, the head in black and the long tail feathers are broader. Very little is known about this species although it is distributed throughout central and southern Brazil even in disturbed habitats. It is usually found alone or in pairs, near wetlands. This bird spends most of its time perched. Feeds mainly on flying insects that it hunts in short flights from the perch It seems to be seasonal, but the migration routes are mostly unknown.

18,5 cm. The upper parts are greenish brown, the throat is white and the belly yellow. The tip of the tail is buffy. Male and female are similar. Distribution: From Venezuela to Argentina. Mideastern Brazil. Migrates seasonaly in southern Brazil. Habitat: Open fields, grasslands, grazing lands and parks in urban areas. Diet: Catches insects on the ground and sometimes in trees. Follows cattle to feed on insects displaced by its movement. Reproduction: Builds a nest made of branches about 4m from the ground. May use nests abandoned by the hornero (Furnarius rufus). The white eggs are incubated by the couple. Natural history: When on the ground runs for some meters then stops t...

Physical appearance: 17,5 cm. The male is bluish black with the forehead and chest chestnut. The female is olive brown streaked in brown in the upper parts. The immature is brown and striated. Distribution: Eastern South America from French Guyana to northern Argentina and as far west as Mato Grosso and eastern Bolivia. Habitat: Lives in humid grasslands, wetlands and ponds. Diet: Feeds mainly on insects and seeds, but also on fruits. Reproduction: Often nests in groups. The nest is built in a fork of a tree. Both male and female build the nest watering the material before using it. The nest is a deep basket. Natural history: The vocalization is melodic and commonly the predomi...

Physical appearance: 40 cm. The feet are red and webbed. The chest is brown, as well as the face that is a bit darker. There is a patch of iridescent feathers in the wings. When flying it shows a large white spot at the back of the wing. The male has a red beak and the female’s is blue. The Female also has white spots on the face. Distribution: From Venezuela to Argentina. Habitat: Wetlands, lakes, ponds and rivers even in polluted places. Diet: Feeds on seeds, leaves and small invertebrates. The hatchlings are goot at catching insects. Reproduction: Lays up to 14 bluish or greenish eggs. When the adult realizes the presence of a potential predator it distracts its attenti...

Physical appearance: 26 cm. The upper parts are green, somewhat yellow, barred in black. The inferior parts are buffy or white, also barred. The tail and the top of the head are black. The male has a red spot below the eye while in the female this spot is black. Distribution: From Eastern Amazon to Uruguay and Argentina. Habitat: Forest borders, gallery and secondary forests, woods and parks in cities. Diet: Feeds on ants and insect larva, mainly beetles. Also eats fruits. Reproduction: After courtship the couple builds a nest inside an old tree, sometimes palm trees and others. The nest is generally downwards, avoiding the water when it rains. Two to four eggs are laid and the ...

33 cm. The tail is very long. It is all black. The bill is thick and strong. The skin is also black. Male and female are similar. Distribution: From Florida (U.S.A) to Argentina. Habitat: Inhabits open landscapes with grass. Prefers moist places. Diet: Consumes arthropods, mainly grasshoppers, and small vertebrates as lizards, mice and frogs. Also eats hatchlings. Fishes in shallow water. In some seasons, mostly in the dry ones when arthropods are scarce it eats fruits and seeds. Follows cattle and tractors in order to catch insects displaced by their movements. Reproduction: The male dances around the female on the ground. It offers food as a gift for the female but sometimes sw...

41,5 cm. Medium size. The feet are webbed. Has a distinctive white mask. The chest and the belly are streaked with cinnamon. The wings are broad and black. The female is slightly larger than the male. Distribution: Tropical South America and Africa. Habitat: Wetlands, lakes, ponds, mostly in shallow water. Diet: It eats buds, seeds, insect larvae, crustaceans and worms. Food is filtered by its specialized beak Reproduction: Builds a nest on the ground in a hidden place. 8 to 14 eggs are laid and incubated by the couple for 27 to 30 days. Male and female take care of the brood. Natural history: Its vocalization is very typical. It is more active at twilight or at night, resting ...

60cm Identification: there are four mostly white species of egrets in Brazil, the snowy egret can be told apart by its smaller size and also for having the tip of the beak black and for having dark legs with yellow feet. Laypeople usually think this species is a young great egret, however it is technically different enough to be place in another genus. It is bit more demanding than the great egret regarding its habitat necessities, as it does not occur in polluted waters and is more strongly associated to aquatic plants such as the water lily. Its reduced size allows this bird to walk over the aquatic plants without sinking. It feeds mainly on small fishes and tadpoles. The nest is ...

15cm Identification: it is one of the largest hummingbirds. It is easily identified by the forked tail, reminding a pair of scissors. Unmistakably Brazilian’s best known hummingbird, this magnificent animal is also one of the most belligerent ones. It fiercely defends its territory – usually consisting of a flowering patch – against other birds, especially the bananaquit ( Coereba flaveola ). It sucks sweet water from feeders even if these are place in the interior of the houses, fearlessly entering the rooms. Like other hummingbirds it feeds mostly on nectar but also on insects. The female lays 2 or 3 eggs in a small bow-shaped nest and feeds the nestlings mainly with arthropo...

35 cm. The legs and the toes are long and green. Has a red shield-like structure in the forehead that is larger in the male. The neck and inferior parts are blue. The back is brown and there is a white band in the wing. The immature individuals are brown. Distribution: All over the world, except from Australia and New Zealand. Habitat: Lives in lakes, ponds and swamps, provided there is plenty of aquatic vegetation. May be found even in very polluted places and brackish water. Diet: Feeds on vegetables and aquatic insects. Usually dives to catch the food. When it does not dive it waters the food before swallowing. Reproduction: The nest is built among the aquatic vegetation. Th...

23cm, Identification: the adult individuals present a dark body, red wings, a blue area around the eyes and a red waxy shield on the forehead. The feet are unusually large. The immature birds present white lower parts and brown above. The jacana has one of the largest ratios of toe length upon the body length in the animal kingdom. These extremely large toes help the bird walking over the aquatic plants without sinking. Its small wings and long legs do not make it the best of the fliers. Lives in wetlands and other sorts of water bodies. Feeds on insects, small fish and tadpoles.

60 a 70 cm. The top of the head, the back and the wings are black and the other parts of the body are mostly grey. The immature is brown and striated. Distribution: All over the world, except from the poles and Australia. Habitat: Slow flowing rivers, lakes, reservoirs and swamps. Diet: Aquatic insects, mollusks, crustaceans, fish, amphibians and reptiles. May also eat carrion and rests of food fallen from other bird’s nests, including dead hatchlings. Reproduction: Breeds in colonies together with other species of herons. The nests are built from 1 to 7m from the ground or water. Lays two or three bluish green or buffy eggs. Natural history: During most of the day it res...

Unmistakably identifiable for being the only Brazilian member of the family to present the white color in its plumage. Belonging to the same family of the legendary Egyptian Ibis, this is certainly an amazing species. Unlike other members of the family it is not associated to water, living in open grasslands and crops where its large silhouette makes it impossible not to be noticed, especially when they gather in groups. It uses its large curved beak to catch invertebrates burried in the soil and may also prey on small vertebrates. Its song is very loud and acute, reminding that of the Seriema ( Cariama cristata ). Couples sing in duets bouncing their heads upwards as they sing. The ...

75 cm. Aquatic with narrow beak curved in the tip. The feet are webbed. The body is black and sometimes the throat is yellow. In the breeding season the male has some white feathers in the throat and ear region. The immature is fuliginous. Distribution: From Mexico to Southern South America Habitat: Lives in lakes, swamps and estuaries. Diet: Feeds on fish, even spiny ones. The gastric acids dissolve the spines. Reproduction: The nest is built on tall trees near lakes, sometimes mixing with heron flocks. Natural history: It is an excellent diver. When in flocks may pen fish schools, leading them to shallow water where they catch the fishes in frenzy. When it goes out of the wate...

25 cm. The supercilium is white. The plumage usually shows traces of earth. The male is slightly larger than the female and the belly is lighter. Distribution: From Canada to Tierra del Fuego. Habitat: Open fields, grasslands and suburbs, sometimes in soccer fields. Diet: Feeds mainly on beetles, but also other arthropods. Also consumes small vertebrates. Reproduction: The nest is a deep hole in the ground (1,5 to 3m of depth). Although it is able of digging its own hole it generally uses the ones dug by other animals as the armadillos. The couple lines the nest with grass and dry manure. The female lays up to four eggs. The female incubates and the male takes care of the brood. ...

14 cm. The legs, beak and the neck are short. The throat is red, contrasting with the fuliginous sides of the head, the back and the chest that is lighter. The belly is pale yellow. The last feather of the male’s wing is rough. Distribution: From Panama to Argentina. Migrates in the south. Habitat: Open landscapes and cities, generally near the water. Diet: Feeds on insects it catches when flying. Reproduction: Builds a nest digging holes in slopes, sometimes in colonies. Lays three to six white eggs. The couple sleeps together in the nest, but only the female incubates. The couple takes turns to feed the brood. When the offspring leave the nest they remain nearby for som...

53 cm. It is a beautiful heron with the upper parts grayish blue, the neck and the ventral region brownish yellow. The face is blue. Distribution: Open areas from Colombia to Argentina. Habitat: Unlike other herons it may be found very far from the water, thriving in open fields and only occasionally in wetlands. Diet: Feeds on mollusks, amphibians, lizards and insects, mainly grasshoppers. Hunts on the ground revolving the earth and grass with its beak. Reproduction: The courtship is very complex, beginning with displays of the male on the ground and then in the air. The nest is very simple and is built on tall trees. Lays 2 to 4 bluish grey eggs. Natural history: It is often...

25 cm. The body is brownish grey, with the upper parts darker . The tip of the tail is white. There are two horizontal black bands in the sides of the head and on the wings. The male is bluish on the top of the head. Distribution: South America. Habitat: Open fields, cerrado, caatinga, crops, parks, lawns, urban areas. It is benefitted by deforestation Diet: Mainly grains, but also small fruits. When breeding also consumes snails and millipedes. Reproduction: During courtship the male produces a low sound different from its usual one. The male exhibits its strength to the female and the couple caresses each other in the head. The nest is a platform made of sparse sticks built on t...

91cm. The neck and the legs are thin and long. All white, but with iris, beak and legs yellow. Distribution: Throughout the world. Habitat: Lakes, rivers, ponds, reservoirs, swamps, mangroves, estuaries and even polluted rivers. Diet: Eats fishes, amphibians, insects. The author witnessed an egret catching and eating a mouse in a riverbank in Campinas-SP. Reproduction: Breeding takes place generally in the end of the dry season, when the food supply is more abundant for this species. During this period the adults have the egrets that are long feathers used in the courtship. The breeding couples gather in nesting sites that may have hundreds of individuals, sometimes mixing with o...