The river is high again, swallowing the forest edges and turning the lower branches into reflections. Along the flooded shore, a flicker of movement catches my eye — long, chestnut brown, with a bill like a gentle scythe. It’s a Long-billed Woodcreeper (Nasica longirostris), emerging curiously from the semi-submerged forest to inspect a line of… Continue reading Long-billed Woodcreeper at Amazon shore
Tag: Brazil
Fiery-tailed-Awlbill in 1st sunlight
Early in the morning, when the first light breaks over the canopy, I catch sight of a Fiery-tailed Awlbill (Avocettula recurvirostris). The bird perches quietly on a slender branch, its long, slightly upturned bill catching the glow of the rising sun. For a moment, the metallic green plumage shimmers, and the fiery tones of the… Continue reading Fiery-tailed-Awlbill in 1st sunlight
White-banded Mockingbird singing
I am standing in a patch of late-afternoon light, camera ready, when a flash of green lands just meters away. A Versicolored Emerald (Amazilia versicolor) perches boldly on a branch, turning ever so slightly as it preens, giving me perfect angles for a photo. Then, from somewhere deeper in the bushes, another sound rises—clear, deliberate,… Continue reading White-banded Mockingbird singing
Extensive preening of a Versicolored Emerald
This morning, in front of the shaded veranda of a small pousada just outside Manaus, the rainforest decided to offer me a front-row seat to a private grooming session. Perched barely three meters away on a low branch was a Versicolored Emerald (Chrysuronia versicolor), resting as if the world had slowed just for him. His… Continue reading Extensive preening of a Versicolored Emerald
Watvögel der Guaporé-Tiefebene: ein Winterparadies für gefiederte Reisende
Die Guaporé-Feuchtgebiete ist im Winter eine weite Ebene, in der sich Graslandschaften und Wald abwechselt. Eines Morgens stehe ich an einer seicht überfluteten Rinderweide, die gerade dem Wald abgerungen wurde. Nicht weit ist es an die ruhigen Ufern des Guaporé-Flusses, wo Brasilien auf Bolivien trifft. Die Stille des Wintermorgen wird nur durch die sanften Rufe… Continue reading Watvögel der Guaporé-Tiefebene: ein Winterparadies für gefiederte Reisende
White-winged Nightjar: home on burnt ground
Forest fires are generally described in the media as crises or disasters. No wonder, when material assets are to be saved with many hundreds of firefighters in action. As macabre as it may seem, fire is essential for some birds to continue living in their native habitat. One such bird is the White-winged Nightjar (Caprimulgus… Continue reading White-winged Nightjar: home on burnt ground
Bird migration and regional circulation in the Pantanal
Whereas long-distance bird migration for aquatic bird species is roughly understood there are other movements of birds between especially the lower Paraná River valley wetlands in Argentina, and the south Brazil/Pantanal wetlands which are far from clear. Besides the fact, that the global patterns of Summer/ Winter north and south of the equator determines the… Continue reading Bird migration and regional circulation in the Pantanal