Tag Archives: Transpantaneira

Bird Identification Aid, Where to watch birds

Helmeted Manakin in Pantanal

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HelmpipraThe Helmeted Manakin  (Antilophia galeata) is one of the most striking and colorful birds of Brazilian forests. Several species of Manakins occur from the Amazon or Atlantic Forest, but the Helmeted Manakin –  the soldadinho in Portugues – is an exclusive species of riparian forests of the central-western Brazilian and the forests of the Pantanal lowland, with only a small distribution area in Bolivia and Paraguay.

As in most species of the family, the male is very flashy. Body all black, contrasting with the living red of the top of the head and back. A longer feathery wad is held high or over the beak, being marked by the shape and giving clue to the common name of the bird. The female and the young males are uniform green except for the beak, legs and eyes. The forehead feathers are Continue reading Helmeted Manakin in Pantanal →

Bird Identification Aid, Birds of Pantanal

Yellow-billed Cardinal in Pantanal

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MantelkardinalDespite being at the edge of its eastern distribution, the Yellow-billed Cardinal (Paroaria capitata) is so common in the Pantanal,  that you hardly can miss it. Besides being one of the most colorful birds of the Pantanal, it is also one of the most common along the rivers, corixos and bays of the Pantanal plain. Form groups of up to a few dozen in feeders, such as at the farm Pouso Alegre and on the salted meat blankets drying in the sun.

The Yellow-billed Cardinal inhabits the riverside in various strata of vegetation. During the flood season, they join the rising waters, reaching places far from the rivers. They colonize farmhouses and other structures created by human action, remaining year-round in the place when there is food. They catch insects, other invertebrates and seeds on the ground. They live in groups throughout the year, although there are strong disputes between them for space or food.

Male and female are identical, with the characteristic red of the head contrasting with the rest of the colors and with the yellow bill.

Young birds come out of the nest with their backs and bill gray. The head is brown. The juvenile birds are sticking to their parents in flocks as of December. In the following months, they begin to change their plumage until they have moulted in the definitive colors. Continue reading Yellow-billed Cardinal in Pantanal →

Latein Amerika Symposium, Verhalten, Vogelreisen

Der Rostzügel-Todityrann am Nest

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Rostzügel-TodityrannEin Aufenthalt auf der Farm Pouso Alegre Lodge, direkt an der sogenannten Transpantaneira, nur 33 km südlich des Zugangs zum Pantanal bei Pocone gelegen, hat manche Überraschung bereit. Eines Morgens nehme ich auf meinem Morgenspaziergang Bewegung direkt entlang des Weges wahr. Ein kleiner Vogel mit einem quer-liegenden Grashalm verschwindet schnell im Dickicht. Ich kann dann die Stelle sehen, in die der im englischen Rusty-fronted Tody-Flycatcher genannte Rostzügel-Todityrann (Poecilotriccus altirostris) fleißig sein Nistmaterial einträgt. Es scheint sich um ein erhöhtes Cerrado-Inselchen zu handeln, das gut mit dicht stehenden Stämmchen verschlossen ist. Trotzdem verschaffe ich mir Zugang zu diesem nur 3 Meter im Durchmesser messenden „Wäldchen“. Ich stehe wenig später praktisch direkt vor seinem hängenden Nest. Nur wenig später kommt der Vogel auch schon mit weiteren trockenen Grashalmen. Wie man in der Gallerie-Sequenz zum Rostzügel-Todityrann sieht, kommt ein Vogel wenig später dann sogar mal mit einer toten Spinne, die ebenfalls beim Nestbau verwendet werden soll. Später stellt sich Continue reading Der Rostzügel-Todityrann am Nest →

Bird Identification Aid, Birds of Pantanal

Blue-crowned Motmot in Pantanal

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Blauscheitel-MotmotThe Blue-crowned Motmot (Momotus momota) is so common in the Pantanal,  that you hardly can miss it. Besides being one of the most colorful birds of the Pantanal, it is also one of the most spectacular birds of the Pantanal by the colorful and unique shape of the tail feathers. The bird is specialized in hunting insects and small vertebrates from a fixed landing.

The song is similar to that of an owl, most often emitted in the lightening and darkening, although it can be heard at any time of day and night. It starts with a short, severe, accelerated call (understood as udu or hard). When another Blue-crowned Motmot responds, they accelerate the singing and increase the number of “udus”.

Although it activates its calls all day, it is impressive how difficult it is seeing it in the shadows of the vegetation, despite the intense color of the body and head, besides the size of the tail. The bright green of the plumage is yellowish on the belly and chest. Around the red eyes, a large black mask is ending in two ends. Ripping the entire mask, the intense cobalt blue is lighter and more extensive on the Continue reading Blue-crowned Motmot in Pantanal →

Bird Identification Aid, Birds of Pantanal

Dull-capped Attila in Pantanal

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RostattilaThe Dull-capped Attila (Attila bolivianus) has rufous-brown upperparts and tail and it has a gray-brown crown. The underparts and  the rump are rufous as well. Remarkable is the white iris. Also known as the White-eyed Attila, the Dull-capped Attila is principally an uncommon inhabitant of seasonally flooded forests, including on river islands, as well as gallery woodland in the Brazilian Pantanal, where it feeds alone or in pairs, and sometimes joins mixed-species foraging flocks. Nonetheless, the species is probably most frequently detected by virtue of its loud whistled song. Mainly rufous-brown, the White-eyed Attila is most easily identified by the pale yellowish-white iris. The bird forages in the canopy and subcanopy of varzea forest and old second growth. It is similar to the Cinnamon Attila but is distinguished by a gray-brown crown and – as said already – the white iris.

The Dull-capped Attila is uncommon and widespread also in Amazonia where it is known to range on the south side of the Amazon and lower Marañon River.

The location of the photo-shot was taken on the farm Pouso Alegre. This is a pousada which is very well situated 7 km away from the Transpantaneira. The location is only 33 km south of Pocone in the northern Pantanal. The whole pousada is a great Continue reading Dull-capped Attila in Pantanal →

Beste Beobachtungsgebiete für Vögel, Vogelreisen

Schwarz-rote Schönheit: die Helmpipra im Pantanal

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HelmpipraIm dämmrigen Unterholz eines der Waldstücke inmitten der Savannenlandschaft im Pantanal taucht auf einmal Farbe auf. Auf einem Ast ist ein Vogel zu sehen, der ein auffälliges Rot vom Rücken bis zum Kopf aufweist. Das sieht aus, wie ein Helm. Und so ist auch sein deutscher und sein englischer Name. Es ist ein Helmeted Manakin (Antilophia galeata). Im Bereich der Stirn wird der „Helm“ durch Büschel, die bis über den Schnabel reichen, verlängert. Der Rest des Körpers ist stock-schwarz. Das ist also das Männchen der Helmpipra. Soldadinho wird dieser Vertreter aus der Familie der Pipriden in Portugues genannt. Das Männchen der Helmpipra ist einer der auffallendsten und buntesten Vögel der brasilianischen Wälder. Mehrere Arten von Manakins kommen im Amazonastiefland  oder im Atlantischen Regenwald, der Serra do Mar, vor. Allerdings ist die Helmpipra eine Art, die in erster Linie Continue reading Schwarz-rote Schönheit: die Helmpipra im Pantanal →

Bird Behaviour, Bird Migration, Birds of Pantanal

Remarks to wintering Solitary Sandpipers (Tringa solitaria) in the Pantanal

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EinsiedelwasserläuferDuring scientific research in the northern Pantanal between the 20th of December 2012 and the 10th of January 2013 I often observe Solitary Sandpipers along the muddy ditches on a farm. Of the two subspecies of the solitary sandpiper recognized the subspecies present probably was Tringa solitaria solitaria which usually has a more well-defined streak between the eye and the bill which are clearly visible on the images shot. On the other hand Tringa solitaria cinnamomea typically lacks these streaks, being more finely spotted and speckled instead. First I saw the Solitary Sandpiper (Tringa solitaria) on the muddy fringes of small pools, where you could see them from wooden bridges crossing these waters. There were no more but 3 individuals which you could see at one time. In between 10 days the water level rose by about half a meter. After that you only saw Solitary Sandpipers on muddy pieces of grassland between leaves of grass. These patches were characterized by highly degraded grassland, where cattle used to feed on quite recently.

The Solitary Sandpipers were never numerous and obviously preferred the open muddy shores of various types of pools. In „Birds of Brazil, The Pantanal & Cerrado of Central Brazil“ von J. Gwynne, Continue reading Remarks to wintering Solitary Sandpipers (Tringa solitaria) in the Pantanal →

Beste Beobachtungsgebiete für Vögel, Vogelreisen

Der Mantelkardinal im Überschwemmungsgebiet des Pantanal

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MantelkardinalMantelkardinale bewohnen Trockenwälder und Savannen des südlichen Amerikas. Die Verbreitung reicht vom südöstlichen Bolivien, über Brasilien bis in den Norden Argentiniens. Zwischenzeitlich wurde die Art auch auf Hawai eingeführt. Es ist unbekannt, wann oder wie diese Art nach Hawai kam. Die ersten Beobachtungen reichen zurück vielleicht schon bis in die 1930er Jahre.

Obwohl er sich im Pantanal am Rand seiner östlichen Verteilung befindet, ist der bunte Mantelkardinal (Paroaria capitata) im Pantanal so verbreitet, dass man ihn kaum verpassen kann. Abgesehen davon, dass er einer der buntesten Vögel des Pantanal ist, gehört er auch zu den häufigsten an den Flüssen, Corixos und Altarmen der Pantanal-Ebene. Immer mal wieder bilden sich Gruppen von bis zu einem Dutzend Vögeln, die an Futterstellen, wie auf der Touristen-Farm Pouso Alegre auftauchen.

Der Mantelkardinal bewohnt die Flussufer in unterschiedlichen Vegetationsschichten. Während der Hochwassersaison kommen sie mit der Flut und den ansteigenden Wasserspiegel und erreichen Orte weit ab von Flüssen. Sie fangen Insekten, andere Wirbellose und nehmen Sämereien auf dem Boden auf. Meist leben Mantelkardinale in Gruppen, obwohl es starke territoriale Streitigkeiten zwischen einzelnen Individuen geben kann.

Männchen und Weibchen sind identisch gefärbt. Charakteristisch ist das Rot des Kopfes, das mit dem Rest des Gefieders und vor allem Continue reading Der Mantelkardinal im Überschwemmungsgebiet des Pantanal →

Bird Behaviour, Bird Identification Aid, Birds of Pantanal

Rufous Hornero on a termite mound

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Rosttöpfer The Rufous Hornero (Furnarius rufus) is so common in the Pantanal, that you hardly think of taking a picture, as you think, that you will do it next day. Ok, this time some pictures were shot, when the bird was standing on a termite mound. There is some examination ungoing to study the interaction between birds and termites in Brazil. A study found 218 bird species feeding on termites or using termitaria for nesting or perching . The study found out, that termites are used as a food source are exploited as a nest site for some bird species as well. Some bird species also perch on the top of termite mounds to search for their prey or to conduct territorial or courtship displays.

The Rufous Hornero is one – or the best-known- of the Ovenbirds and is from the same family as the Woodcreepers or the Spinetails. The bird looks a bit like a thrush but is very plain with a dirty white supercilium and a rather long, slightly Continue reading Rufous Hornero on a termite mound →

Bird Behaviour, Bird Identification Aid, Birds of Pantanal

Rusty-fronted Tody-flycatcher at the nest

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Rostzügel-TodityrannA trip during a scientific excursion in the northern Pantanal between the 20th of December 2012 and the 10th of January 2013 showed a lot of excitement. One day I perceived a movement right along the path I was walking. A small bird with a transversely lying blade of grass quickly disappeared in the thicket. I can then see the place where a Rusty-fronted Tody-flycatcher (Poecilotriccus altirostris) diligently enters his nesting material. It appears to be an Cerrado islet that stand out slightly. The area is well closed with tight standing stems. Nevertheless, I get access to this only 3 meters in diameter measuring grove. After all, I’m standing right in front of his hanging nest. Only a short time later the Continue reading Rusty-fronted Tody-flycatcher at the nest →