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Furnarius rufus

Photo by Gary Clark.
Location: Costanera Sur Ecological Reserve, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Identification

The Rufous Hornero, as suggested by the name, is mostly rufous. Its belly and throat may be paler, but it varies according to the subspecies or even to the individual. The tail is noticeably darker and more reddish.

Similar Species

The Pale-legged, Wing-banded and Lesser Hornero have a paler and more conspicious eye-brow than the Rufous Hornero. It is easily separated from the Crested Hornero by the lack of a crest.

Nest of a Rufous Hornero. Photo by Gary Clark.
Location: Esteros del Ibera, Argentina.

Distribution

Eastern and central South America: found in Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina.

Taxonomy

Subspecies^[1]

Five subspecies are recognized:

• F. r. albogularis:

• South-eastern Brazil (Goiás and Bahia to São Paulo)

• F. r. commersoni:

• Western Brazil (Mato Grosso) and adjacent Bolivia

• F. r. schuhmacheri:

• Northern and eastern Bolivia (La Paz and Beni to Tarija)

• F. r. paraguayae:

• Paraguay and northern Argentina

• F. r. rufus:

• Southern Brazil and Uruguay to central Argentina

Habitat

Open and semi open areas.

Behaviour

Diet

This bird eats insects (e.g. termites or ants) and some other invertebrates, searching for them on the ground or under fallen trunks. They can also be seen eating food intended for human consumption.

Breeding

The Rufous Hornero is well-known for its oven-like nest ("horno" means oven in Spanish), made of straw and manure mixed with mud. The nest can be used again, after some changes, but never for two seasons in a row, so the couple alternate between two or three nests each season. When there is not enough space to build new nests, the couple will build another next to, or even on top of, an older nest. The nests can be occupied by other bird species as well. From this nest is derived the genus name Furnarius, as well as the family name Furnariiidae, from the Latin root for oven.

The couple usually calls loudly in duets, while vibrating its wings.

In Culture

It is the National Bird of Argentina.

References

1. Clements, JF. 2007. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019
2. Avibase

• List of references

External Links