Cattle Tyrant ( Machetornis rixosa (ex rixosus ))
- Sent by Rodrigo Girardi Santiago - 09/12/2006
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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 to look for insects. Likes taking rain baths. When nervous shakes the wings. Is frequently seen in farms on the back of cows and horses and are named after this behavior. May enter swamps on the back of cows and capybaras.
