Whistling Heron ( Syrigma sibilatrix )
- Sent by Rodrigo Girardi Santiago - 20/02/2007
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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 seen in pairs. Unlike other herons it does not migrate. The vocalization is a very loud and acute sound that it produces with the beak open and neck stretched.
