News - May 2012



Long-tailed Reed Finch
Donacospiza albifrons
Long-tailed Reed Finch
25-05-12 © Pablo Serur

Urutu pit viper
Bothrops alternatus
Urutu pit viper
02-06-12 © Pablo Mosto
Pablo tells us “We found this pit viper dead at the road junction on the coast. It was bitten to death. I don't know when it happened but it seemed recently.”

The Urutu Pit Viper is a venomous snake. That's why, we must be careful in case we find an individual. It is advisable to report it immediately to the Reserve staff so that it might be captured by trained people. NEVER do it yourself. Bites may cause very serious consequences. Lucas Damer, who was trained at the Instituto Malbrán to handle this type of situations, explains to us that the bite of this snake must be treated within the first eight hours so that symptons can be taken in good time. This viper's venom is hemotoxic, which causes skin necrosis and produces internal bleeding. an>

In case of a bite it is IMPERATIVE to take the bitten person to the Hospital Muñiz, center especialized in snake accidents - Uspallata 2272, to be treated with antivenom as soon as possible. How to help:

DO NOT APPLY A TOURNIQUET, DO NOT INCISE THE BITTEN SITE, DO NOT SUCK THE POISON OUT OF THE WOUND, WASH THE WOUND AND TAKE THE BITTEN PERSON TO THE HOSPITAL

Venom is inoculated through the fangs. The fangs are sited on a small jawbone, which rotates. If the mouth is shut, the fangs remain folded along the upper mandible and are not visible. When the mouth is opened, they move to a perpendicular position. As the jaws open widely too, the fangs can inject venom deep into the prey's flesh. They have an inner duct that connects to the venom gland. This gland is behind the eyes, that is why it looks like an arrowhead. 



Hepatic Tanager
Piranga flava
Hepatic Tanager
27-05-12 © Dolores Fernández
Blue-billed Black-Tyrant
Knipolegus cyanirostris
Blue-billed Black-Tyrant
25-05-12 © Pablo Mosto
Blue-billed Black-Tyrant
25-05-12 © Pablo Mosto
Great Pampa-Finch
Embernagra platensis
Great Pampa-Finch
25-05-12 © Pablo Mosto
Green-winged Saltator
Saltator similis
Green-winged Saltator
25-05-12 © Pablo Mosto
Ultramarine Grosbeak
Cyanoloxia brissonii
Ultramarine Grosbeak
25-05-12 © Pablo Mosto
Yellow-winged Blackbird
Agelasticus thilius
Yellow-winged Blackbird
25-05-12 © Pablo Mosto

Southern Caracara
Caracara plancus
20-05-12 © Pablo Serur

The voice of the mockingbird led me to a caracara which was tearing off leaves and branches. The yells attracted another five mockingbirds. From a dried tree they swooped down on the caracara. Like the Chimango caracara, the Southern Caracara ignored the attacks even the overt ones. The caracara kept pulling branches for a while and then left.


Fawn-breasted Tanager
Pipraeidea melanonota
Fawn-breasted Tanager
19-05-12 © Pablo Serur
Fawn-breasted Tanager
19-05-12 © Pablo Serur
Campo Troupial
Icterus jamacaii
Campo Troupial
12-05-12 © Pablo Serur
Orange-backed Troupial
Icterus croconotus
Orange-backed Troupial
19-05-12 © Pablo Serur
Orange-backed Troupial
19-05-12 © Pablo Serur

Orange-backed Troupial
Icterus croconotus
22-05-12 © Pablo Serur

Puddles: public areas
Ultramarine Grosbeak
19-05-12 © Pablo Serur

A characteristic feature of puddles is that they gather birds. There they go to bathe: a way to keep their feathers fit. These are neutral areas, where the degree of conflict seems null. No bothering, no interfering, each one in his own business. The priority is a valueless treasure for birds: their feathers. In the same puddle a Bay-winged Cowbird and a Sooty-fronted Spinetail in a dip. Standing or squatting they splash water all over themselves. Once feathers are wet they move away to dry them. The Black-and-rufous Warbling-Finch is indecisive and the Ultramarine Grosbeak approached only to take a sip. Not far away was a male Ultramarine Grosbeak which flew by and was joined by the bird in puddle.


Chotoy Spinetail
Schoeniophylax phryganophilus
Chotoy Spinetail
20-05-12 © Pablo Mosto
Chotoy Spinetail
20-05-12 © Pablo Mosto

With chalk-browed mockingbird

Yellow-browed Tyrant
Satrapa icterophrys
Yellow-browed Tyrant
20-05-12 © Pablo Mosto
Long-tailed Reed Finch
Donacospiza albifrons
Long-tailed Reed Finch
05-05-12 © J. Simón Tagtachian
Long-tailed Reed Finch
05-05-12 © J. Simón Tagtachian
Roadside Hawk
Rupornis magnirostris
Roadside Hawk
12-05-12 © Pablo Mosto
White-tipped Plantcutter
Phytotoma rutila
White-tipped Plantcutter
05-05-12 © Pablo Serur
White-tipped Plantcutter
05-05-12 © Pablo Serur
Dark-faced Ground-Tyrant
Muscisaxicola maclovianus
Dark-faced Ground-Tyrant
05-05-12 © Pablo Serur
Long-winged Harrier
Circus buffoni
Long-winged Harrier
05-05-12 © Pablo Mosto
Sayaca Tanager
Thraupis sayaca
Sayaca Tanager
05-05-12 © Pablo Serur

Eating fruit of bugweed Solanum granulosum leprosum

Blue-and-yellow Tanager
Pipraeidea bonariensis
Blue-and-yellow Tanager
05-05-12 © Pablo Serur