Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur

I draw the attention to some of them. Psittacids (parrots) have ousted Picids (woodpeckers) from the last position within Non Passeriformes. Many embericids have joined the Thraupids to the extent that there are only two bird species left (Rufous-collared Sparrow and Yellow-striped Brush-Finch). A new family Tityridae has been created.
I want to make clear that Saltators still remain within the Family Cardinalidae though they have been removed from it. SACC has provisionally placed them within the group Insertae Sedis (of uncertain placement) till their new relocation is defined.

The White-winged Becard has never fit to the letter within a family. First it was included in the Cotingidae Family. Then it was moved to the Tyrannid Family since the morphology of the syrinx (vocal organ) was much more similar to that of tyrannids’. Even then this did not satisfy taxonomists. Recent morphological and genetic studies have shown a common thread for this and almost other 30 bird species which were in the same situation. All of them have been grouped in a new family: Tityridae.
Only eight of the 30 bird species are represented in Argentina. and only three of them have photographic record on this site. They are:
White-winged Becard Pachyramphus polychopterus frequent summer visitor and breeder, illustrated in the photo by a male
Green-backed Becard Pachyramphus viridis with the only record of a female in 2010 and
White-naped Xenopsaris Xenopsaris albinucha with a breeding record in 2000.
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Dolores tells us that “I remembered that I had seen a juvenile in the Middle Path in December. These are the photos I took on 30th of December. I did not send it since I did not consider it of any interest but that of staying long finding the best position to take a shot of the juvenile when it was bed. But I only managed to photograph the juvenile with the fruit already in the mouth and the adult is not seen. ”
© Dolores Fernández

The “bad” spider was about to kill the “good” hummingbird. I did not intend to interfere in a natural process. In a phenomenon which is apparently cruel and merciless. The observer must watch without interfering. Again the eternal game between life and death. The prey’s death which means the predator’s life.
The web got destroyed during the realease of the Emerald and the spider was dragged to the ground.
As we all know, there are species which are ill-famed: spiders, snakes, owls, sharks and the list goes on.

Javier Ubiría

The Southern Caracara is stalked either solitarily or in pairs by the Chalk-browed Mockingbird (25 cm) and the Fork-tailed Flycatcher (38 cm) among other birds. They mob on the Caracara till it is driven away. It is chased and even pecked at on the wing. It seems funny to see how the big Caracara is driven away by a much smaller bird.
Unlike the Caracara, the Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl is small in size (15 cm) and is harrassed by several bird species. The owl’s attitude is “I won´t move”. It stays undaunted in its place. There is a disconcerted flight around it screaming insistently. A sort of public protest so noisy that it is a useful signal for us to spot the owl. Otherwise, this small and cryptic bird is easily skipped in a tree.

In this case there was a Red-eyed Vireo, a male Masked Yellowthroat, a Small-billed Elaenia, a Streaked Flycatcher (not appearing in the video), three Masked Gnatcatchers and several Emeralds (definitely some females). All of them sounded very altered. The feathered ball which appears under the branch is the juvenile Small-billed Elaenia of the above photos. It held it tightly with the claws and stood motionless only moving its head to keep visual contact with the birds flying by. None of them attacked the owl. They only put pressure by flying very close to it. At a point it moved to another branch and stood there for a while till it left.

Video © Roberto Ares – Texto Cora Rimoldi

© Roberto Ares – Text: Cora Rimoldi

Argentina joined the Convention on 4th of September 1992. The first site was the Monumento Natural Laguna de los Pozuelos in Jujuy. Reserva Costanera is the 14th site and was included on the list on 22nd of March 2005. Nowadays Argentina has 20 sites on the list.

Joining the Convention implies a commitment on the part of the National Government to actively work to secure conservation and sustainable use of the area in question.

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