Laboratório de Tecnologia Educacional BIBLIOTECA DIGITAL               DE CIÊNCIAS

Physical appearance: 35,5 cm. The body is bluish gray, with an iridescent region on the sides of the neck. There is a large white region on the wings. Distribution: From Northeastern Brazil to Argentina. Habitat: Cerrado, caatinga, gallery forests, fields, crops and urban areas. Diet: Feeds on seeds and small fruits. Reproduction: The nest is made of loosely crossed sticks. The white eggs (1 or 2) are incubated by the couple. The hatchlings are fed on “pigeon’s milk�. Natural history: It is one of the largest species of pigeon in Brazil. After breeding it gathers in flocks for migration. It is so common in some places that may turn into a nuisance. Has been successfully...

48 cm. The face is grey, the chest cinnamon and the belly black. There is a large white spot in the wings, more evident when flying. The beak and feet are red. Males and females are similar. The immature is grayish brown Distribution: From Texas (U.S.A) to Bolivia and Argentina. Habitat: Lives in lakes, rivers, wetlands and even in mangroves. Diet: Feeds on leaves, small seeds and aquatic invertebrates. Reproduction: The nest is built on the ground or hollow trees. The eggs are white, sometimes greenish or bluish. More than one female may lay eggs in the same nest and sometimes may even lay eggs in other species’s nests such as the white faced whistling duck (Dendrocygna viduata...

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 ...

18cm. Identification: may be confused with two other species from the same genus, the White Monjita ( Xolmis irupero ), which is almost totally white, apart from the black wings and tail, and the Grey Monjita ( Xolmis cinerea ), which has the head and upper parts in darker grey. Thus the White-rumped Monjita presents a kind of intermediate color pattern between these two species. Typical of open fields, this bird spends most of its time perched on isolated trees, light posts and fences. It feeds mainly on flying insects it catches in short flights, returning to the perch afterwards and also takes small berries. Very little is known about its behavior. It is certainly migratory, b...

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...

Length: 9,5cm Identification: the back is bright green, the tail and part of the wings are dark blue. The throat and the chest is sapphire-blue. The belly is white and there is a white line splitting the chest. The two sexes look alike. It is one of the main pollinators of several plant species, including some introduced ones. It is territorialist and visit the flowering patches at predictable times. It explores even the lowest flowers. This hummingbird usually explores feeders where it fights against the bananaquits ( Coereba flaveola ) and the swallow-tailed hummingbird ( Eupetomena macroura ). The bow-shaped nest usually shelters two eggs.

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 ...

62 cm in length, 143 cm of wingspan. The feathers are absent in the head and neck. The body is black, with white spots near the tip of the wings (seen only when flying). Distribution: From central U.S.A to central Argentina. Habitat: Virtually in any kind of landscape, preferably in open areas. Absent in large areas of dense vegetation. Diet: Mainly carrion. Does not hunt, but kills injured or young animals, such as turtle eggs and hatchlings, even newly born big mammals like calves. May eat fruits. The excellent eyesight helps finding carrion at long distances. Reproduction: The courtship consists of movements of the male jumping on the ground with the wings opened and then...

13,5 cm. The male’s top of the head is black with a scarlet topknot. The body is red, with the upper parts brownish red. The female does not have a topknot and the upper parts are brown. Distribution: From the Guyanas to Argentina. Habitat: Secondary forests, cerrado and farms. Diet: Feeds on seeds and insects. Reproduction: When breeding lives in pairs and the male protects the territory. Builds a cup-like nest with leaves, lichens and spider webs. Lays 3 to 5 bluish or white eggs. Both male and female feed the offspring. Natural history: The male’s topknot can only be seen when it is excited. When not breeding lives in groups, sometimes mixing with other species. In ...

35cm Similarly to other Brazilian jays, the Curl-crested jay has white lower parts and blue and black upper parts. It may be confused with the Plush-crested jay (Cyanocorax chrysops), but while the last presents the crest in the back of the head, the yellow iris and a blue patch around the eyes, the Curl-crested jay presents the crest on the forehead, the red iris and the head is entirely black. Whereas the Old World ravens are mostly black, as well as the crows, the Brazilan corvids are colorful and most of them have white lower parts. There are 6 species of jays in Brazil, all of them extremely beautiful. The Curl-crested jay is one of Brazilian’s noisiest jays. To make the nois...

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 ...

16cm Identification: the genus Elaenia is well known among the ornithologists for being one of the most difficult groups when it comes to species identification. Nevertheless Elaenia flavogaster is the easiest species to be identified, first for its yellow belly, second for the crest on the head (not always visible), third for the absence of white patches on the face and crest and last for its conspicuous behavior. It is more easily heard than seen and its song reminds the one of the kiskadee. It inhabits parks, backyards, coffee crops and secondary forest edges. The yellow bellied elaenia spends most of its time in the medium height trees and shrubs. Feeds mainly on insects and be...

19 cm. The Variegated Flycatcher is one of 3 widespread flycatchers that are streaked below. The Variegated is larger than the Piratic Flycatcher (Legatus leucophaius), has a longer bill, more rufous on the tail and whiter edging to its wing feathers. On the other hand, it is smaller than the Streaked Flycatcher (Myiodynastes maculatus) with darker upperparts and less well defined streaking below. Distribution: Throughout South America, mainly in the south. Habitat: Lives in forest borders and open areas provided there are tall trees in which it can perch. Diet: Flying insects, insects in the foliage and sometimes small fruits. Reproduction: The couple takes care of each otherâ€...

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...

19 cm. The body is brown, darker in the back and ferruginous in the tail. The ventral part is light brown. Distribution: Northeast, Mideast to South of Brazil, also in Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Bolivia. Has been spreading its distribution along with deforestation. Habitat: Open landscapes, fields, cerrado, lawns and gardens. Diet: Mainly arthropods, sometimes seeds. Reproduction: The couple builds the nest with mud, manure and straw that they carry with their beaks and model with their feet. The nest is usually built on tall trees. Each year a new nest is built, sometimes over the previous ones (up to 11 nests one above the other). The nest has two divisions and the eggs...

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...

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.

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.

The general coloration is light brown, yellow in some parts. The wings are dark brown and there is a small black region behind the eye. The immature individuals have lighter shades of brown in the wings and the chest is streaked in white. Distribution: From southern Amazon to Rio Grande do Sul. Habitat: Open areas, cerrado, caatinga, farms and urban areas. Diet: Feeds on ticks, insects, carrion, small rodents, birds, snakes, lizards and even fishes. Reproduction: The nest is a platform built on the top of tall trees. Natural history: This hawk is associated with cattle because of its behavior of climbing on the back of the cattle in search for ticks and other ectoparasites. It ...