News - March 2013



Cinnamon Warbling-Finch
Poospiza ornata
Cinnamon Warbling-Finch
28-03-13 © J. Simón Tagtachian
Barn Swallow
Hirundo rustica
Barn Swallow
24-03-13 © J. Simón Tagtachian

Spectauclar turn of the head to catch the prey

Blue-and-white Swallow
Pygochelidon cyanoleuca
Blue-and-white Swallow
24-03-13 © J. Simón Tagtachian

White-winged Becard
Pachyramphus polychopterus
White-winged Becard
28-03-13 © J. Simón Tagtachian
White-winged Becard
28-03-13 © J. Simón Tagtachian
White-winged Becard
28-03-13 © J. Simón Tagtachian
White-winged Becard
28-03-13 © J. Simón Tagtachian

Female with food for the chicks

White-winged Becard
28-03-13 © J. Simón Tagtachian

Calico Flower
Aristolochia elegans
Mil hombres/Calico flower© C. y T. Di Mauro

Brown-chested Martin
Progne tapera
Brown-chested Martin
29-03-13 © Claudia y Tito Di Mauro
Brown-chested Martin
29-03-13 © Claudia y Tito Di Mauro
Brown-chested Martin
29-03-13 © Claudia y Tito Di Mauro

Another year on their way back north and the antenna as their usual meeting point


Nenday Parakeet
Aratinga nenday
Nenday Parakeet
29-03-13 © Claudia y Tito Di Mauro

A big flock of some 200 individuals moving from Viamonte to Brasil. Impossible to get a photo of them all

Tropical Kingbird
Tyrannus melancholicus
Tropical Kingbird
29-03-13 © Claudia y Tito Di Mauro
Saffron Finch
Sicalis flaveola
Saffron Finch
29-03-13 © Claudia y Tito Di Mauro
White-lined Tanager
Tachyphonus rufus
White-lined Tanager
29-03-13 © Claudia y Tito Di Mauro
White-lined Tanager
Tachyphonus rufus
White-lined Tanager
29-03-13 © Claudia y Tito Di Mauro

Swainson's Flycatcher
Myiarchus swainsoni
Swainson's Flycatcher
23-03-13 © Pablo Mosto
Swainson's Flycatcher
23-03-13 © Pablo Mosto
Streaked Flycatcher
Myiodynastes maculatus
Streaked Flycatcher
23-03-13 © Pablo Mosto

Changes in "The Cast" The Cast has been updated with the changes published by the SACC (South American Classification Committee) in the last version dating December 7th, 2012.

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.



Especie nueva
Mottle-cheeked Tyrannulet
Phylloscartes ventralis
Mottle-cheeked Tyrannulet
24-03-13 © J. Simón Tagtachian
Mottle-cheeked Tyrannulet
24-03-13 © J. Simón Tagtachian

Vermilion Flycatcher
Pyrocephalus rubinus
Vermilion Flycatcher
24-03-13 © J. Simón Tagtachian
Bare-faced Ibis
Phimosus infuscatus
Bare-faced Ibis
24-03-13 © J. Simón Tagtachian
Chimango Caracara
Milvago chimango
Chimango Caracara
24-03-13 © J. Simón Tagtachian

Pampas cavy
Cavia aperea
Pampas cavy
24-03-13 © J. Simón Tagtachian
Painted turtle
Trachemys dorbigni
Painted turtle
24-03-13 © J. Simón Tagtachian

Sayaca Tanager
Thraupis sayaca
Sayaca Tanager
30-03-13 © J. Simón Tagtachian
Roadside Hawk
Rupornis magnirostris
Roadside Hawk
30-03-13 © J. Simón Tagtachian
Nenday Parakeet
Aratinga nenday
Nenday Parakeet
24-03-13 © J. Simón Tagtachian
Glittering-bellied Emerald
Chlorostilbon lucidus
Glittering-bellied Emerald
24-03-13 © J. Simón Tagtachian
Picui Ground Dove
Columbina picui
Picui Ground Dove
24-03-13 © J. Simón Tagtachian
White-winged Becard
Pachyramphus polychopterus
White-winged Becard
01-03-13 © J. Simón Tagtachian
Rufous Hornero
Furnarius rufus
Rufous Hornero
24-03-13 © J. Simón Tagtachian
Rufous Hornero
24-03-13 © J. Simón Tagtachian

White-tipped Plantcutter
Phytotoma rutila
White-tipped Plantcutter
21-03-13 © Claudia y Diego Bastías
Grey-throated Warbling-Finch
Poospiza cabanisi
Grey-throated Warbling-Finch
16-03-13 © Pablo Serur
Hooded Siskin
Spinus magellanicus
Hooded Siskin
09-03-13 © Pablo Serur
Tropical Kingbird
Tyrannus melancholicus
Tropical Kingbird
16-03-13 © Pablo Serur

Maguari Stork
Ciconia maguari
Maguari Stork
01-03-13 © Francisco González Táboas
On Saturday, 16th a flock of storks was observed from inside the reserve by Francisco who estimated " about 50 o 60 individuals flying in circles above the Covimet area or far south". From the garden of "Ernesto de la Cárcova" Museum, outside the reserve, María Claudia, also captured images of a flock and adds that "they were heading north from Costanera Sur". Photos were taken with some time apart. They must be different flocks. There are too many individuals with black wings. They are still immature birds.
Maguari Stork
01-03-13 © María Claudia Kleid
Maguari Stork
01-03-13 © María Claudia Kleid

Ultramarine Grosbeak
Cyanoloxia brissonii
Ultramarine Grosbeak
01-03-13 © Raj Phukan
White-tipped Plantcutter
Phytotoma rutila
White-tipped Plantcutter
16-03-13 © Pablo Mosto
Harris's Hawk
Parabuteo unicinctus
Harris's Hawk
16-03-13 © Pablo Mosto
White-crested Tyrannulet
Serpophaga subcristata
White-crested Tyrannulet
16-03-13 © Pablo Mosto

White-winged Becard
Pachyramphus polychopterus
White-winged Becard
16-03-13 © Pablo Mosto
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 records on this site. They are: White-winged Becard Pachyramphus polychopterus frequent summer visitor and breeder, illustrated in the photo by a male, the Green-backed Becard
Pachyramphus viridis
and White-naped Xenopsaris Xenopsaris albinucha , both with few records.

Double-collared Seedeater
Sporophila caerulescens
05-03-13 © Pablo Serur

The upper part of the eye of this fledling is swollen. Most certainly it has been attacked by a virus or a mite etc., but it is healthy enough to exhibit the typical food solicitation display to call its mother's attention. It is attentively following her movements, ready to open the bill and increasingly flapping its wings as the adult gets near. The delivered food may be Guinea grass seeds, their favourite grass


Warbling Doradito
Pseudocolopteryx flaviventris
Warbling Doradito
09-03-13 © Pablo Serur
Snail Kite
Rostrhamus sociabilis
Snail Kite
11-02-13 © Pablo Serur
White-banded Mockingbird
Mimus triurus
White-banded Mockingbird
12-03-13 © Claudia y Diego Bastías

First record of the season


Children and grown-ups: Everybody is having a bath
Double-collared Seedeater
Sporophila caerulescens
Double-collared Seedeater
09-03-13 © Juan Pablo Muszkats
Rufous-collared Sparrow
Zonotrichia capensis
Rufous-collared Sparrow
09-03-13 © Juan Pablo Muszkats
Rufous-collared Sparrow
09-03-13 © Juan Pablo Muszkats
Masked Yellowthroat
Geothlypis aequinoctialis
Masked Yellowthroat
09-03-13 © Juan Pablo Muszkats
Masked Yellowthroat
09-03-13 © Juan Pablo Muszkats

Streaked Flycatcher
Myiodynastes maculatus
Streaked Flycatcher
30-12-12 © Dolores Fernández
Streaked Flycatcher
30-12-12 © Dolores Fernández

Parasitism: greyish baywing - screaming cowbird
Greyish Baywing
Agelaioides badius
Greyish Baywing
02-03-13 © Juan Pablo Muszkats
Greyish Baywing
02-03-13 © Juan Pablo Muszkats

A juvenile of Screaming Cowbird on top and a Bay-winged Cowbird, below. The Screaming Cowbird parasitizes almost exclusively the Bay-winged Cowbird. The juveniles of these two species are quite alike till the Screaming Cowbird acquires black spots. On the wing the typical brown coloruing of the greyish baywing can be seen.

Screaming Cowbird
Molothrus rufoaxillaris
Screaming Cowbird
02-03-13 © Juan Pablo Muszkats

Juvenile screaming cowbird


White-winged Becard
Pachyramphus polychopterus
White-winged Becard
02-03-13 © Amelia Besana
Streaked Flycatcher
Myiodynastes maculatus
Streaked Flycatcher
03-03-13 © Carlos González Ledo
Two summer visitors which breed in the reserve, though this season there were no photographic records of the reproduction of the streaked flycatcher

Juveniles
Black-and-rufous Warbling-Finch
Poospiza nigrorufa
Black-and-rufous Warbling-Finch
02-03-13 © Juan Pablo Muszkats
Red-crested Cardinal
Paroaria coronata
Red-crested Cardinal
03-03-13 © Carlos González Ledo

The crest has started to change colour

Yellow-billed Cardinal
Paroaria capitata
Yellow-billed Cardinal
03-03-13 © Carlos González Ledo

First red feathers on the head.


Hooded Siskin
Spinus magellanicus
Hooded Siskin
03-03-13 © Carlos González Ledo
Greyish Baywing
Agelaioides badius
Greyish Baywing
03-03-13 © Carlos González Ledo

Interested in the contents of the rucksack

Greyish Baywing
03-03-13 © Carlos González Ledo

Interested in the contents of the rucksack


Consequences of March 2nd Storm
Después de la tormenta/After the stormWe can see how the wind broke this
Tipuana tipu's branch which is at the beginning of the Viamonte Canal and it was not the only one. © Carlos Gonzalez Ledo