Laboratório de Tecnologia Educacional BIBLIOTECA DIGITAL               DE CIÊNCIAS

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...

18,5cm Like other flycatcher from the same genus, the Short-crested Flycatcher is yellow bellow, has a grayish throat and mostly brown upperparts. It can be told apart from the other species by the short crest and the absence of white spots around the eyes. Like other species of flycatcher it spends most of the time perched in forest edges. Feeds mainly on flying insects that it seizes in short flights, returning to the same perch. It also catches insects among the leaves and berries. Its vocalization reminds that of the White Woodpecker ( Melanerpes candidus ). The nest is build lining a small tree hole, where two buffy eggs are laid.

There are three other very similar species from the same genus in Brazil. The females and imature individuals are nearly impossible to tell apart, as they are light brown with some darker streaks. The Saffron Finch can be distinguished from the other species for the saffron color, mostly in the breeding season. The Orange-fronted Yellow Finch ( S. columbiana) is smaller than the Saffron Finch, the Stripe-tailed Yellow Finch (S. citrina) has greenish patches on the upper parts and the Grassland Yellow Finch (S. luteola) has brownish spots even in the head. One of the countryside’s most famous birds, the Saffron Finch’s song is unique for its beaty and complexity. Unfortunately its song...

58 cm in length, 125cm of wingspan. The beak and the claws are weak for a bird of prey. The legs are tall and yellow. The upper parts are black and the chest and throat are white. There is a large white spot in the inferior side near the tip of the wing. The immature is brown and striated. Distribution: From Florida (U.S.A) to Tierra del Fuego. Habitat: Thrives in any open landscape, sometimes urban areas. Diet: It is generalist. Eats either live animals or carrion. Catches insects, snails, worms, lizards, snakes, birds. Follows tractors in crops looking for earthworms.. Sometimes eats fruits, peanuts and beans. Reproduction: Builds a big nest on the top of tall trees. Lays three ...

18cm Unlike the Red-crested Cardinal ( Paroaria coronata ) the Red-cowled Cardinal does not have a crest and the absence of black patches on the head and throat distinguishes this from the other Brazilian cardinals. This bird is endemic to the Brazilian Northeastern semi-arid region called ``Caatinga´´ where it is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful songbirds. Its beaty often costs its freedom as thousands of these birds are captured in the wild to be kept as cage birds. There is large illegal traffic of these birds throughout Brazil and even to other countries. Several specimens, and even established breeding populations have been reported considerably far from its original distr...