English              -               Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture

Portuguese      -               Urubu-de-cabeça-amarela

Latin                  -               Cathartes burrovianus

I just think this is one cool looking bird. It’s as though it wakes up every morning, throws on some makeup and away it goes, ready for the day ahead. I photographed the Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture at a water hole on the side of the road just south of the town of Miranda in Mato Grosso do Sul. We had stopped the car to photograph another bird when the Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture that is in the photos, landed not far from where I was standing for a bit of a drink. It seemed quite comfortable with me not so far away and carried on drinking until it got its fill, then flew away. I was fortunate it was a bright sunny day, so the colours of the Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture head were enhanced. 

* The Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture is also known as the savannah vulture.

* A large bird that can get to 61 cm in length, weigh up to 1.2 kgs and has a wingspan of 1.65 Metres.

* It is found in eastern Mexico, central America and parts of South America, east of the Andes, south to Uruguay.

* It  occupies open habitats, especially wet grasslands and marshes or dry fields, and clearings.

* it mainly feeds on carrion and locates carcasses by sight and by smell, an ability which is rare in birds. It also takes small prey such as fish, amphibians, insects and other invertebrates.

* The Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture lacks the syrinx and the associated muscles. It is unable to utter any song or call. However, it can produce hisses, rattles, grunts and sneezing noises. 

* Female lays 1-2 whitish eggs which are Incubated for about 40 days. The young fledge at 2-3 months of age.

* The Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture is widespread in open areas and populations seem to be fairly large and stable. The main threat is nest predation by mammals and ravens which steal its eggs, The Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture is classified as A species ”of least concern”. on the IUCN RED LIST.

English                -                Brazilian squirrel

Portuguese        -                 Serelepe

Latin                   -                  Sciurus aestuans

I first came across the Brazilian squirrel as I was walking around the forest trail (brown trail) at REGUA (Reserva Ecológica de Guapiaçu) I must admit, it took me ages to see it. All I could hear was a tap, tap, tapping sound coming from up in the trees and to be fair I though I was hearing a woodpecker. But after a while the woodpecker I was looking for ended up being the Brazilian squirrel, trying to open a nut by banging it on a tree branch. It was hard to photograph as it was high in the canopy and also it was quite dark as well so could only photograph it using a slow shutter speed. It stayed on the same branch for a while tap tap tapping until it was able to crack the nut open, then it disappeared higher into the canopy. While I was staying at REGUA, somebody managed to Photograph a “rare” white Brazilian Squirrel.

* Adult Brazilian Squirrel weigh around 185 grams and are around 30 cm in length from head to tail.

* The Brazilian Squirrel is endemic to South America.

* They are found in Argentina, Brazil, Guyana, French Guiana, Suriname and Venezuela.

* They inhabit various types of forests from Atlantic gallery forests to Amazon rain forests as well as urban parks.

* The Brazilian squirrel is classed as a ‘tree Squirrel”.

* They feed on fruits and nuts, but can also prey on eggs and nestlings of birds.

* The Brazilian squirrel is considered an important seed disperser because it has the habit of burying seeds it finds to keep for a later date, then forgets where it buries some of the seeds it buries.

* The Brazilian squirrel has a wide distribution and a presumed large population, therefore it is classified as a species “of least concern”. But as forests are rapidly being converted into farmland, plantations, etc, the Brazilian squirrel may in the  future qualify for a threatened category.

English            -              Red-rumped Cacique

Portuguese    -              Guaxe

Latin               -               Cacicus haemorrhous

I have photographed the Red-rumped Cacique in various locations around Brazil in the past year but it wasn’t until I went to Foz do Iguacu that I managed to photograph the Red-rumped Cacique showing the red part of its back and the blueness of its eyes. Pretty bird to photograph but a very loud bird. You will hear them before you see them. These birds were photographed within the park at Foz do Iguacu and they were at their nest sight. The nests are like hanging baskets. Quite pleased with these photos as the light was quite flat as it had just stopped raining and it was a really overcast day.

* The Red-rumped Cacique is a large member of the blackbird family.

* The Red-rumped Cacique is around  29 cm in length and weight around 97 grams.

* It has a Loud, complex and varied repertoire of songs and calls, particularly among males.

* It is found in Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela.

* It habitats subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical swamps, and heavily degraded former forest.

* It is an Omnivorous species, feeding on insects and fruit.

* Female lays 2 to 3 eggs and can have up to 3 broods breeding season.

* The Red-rumped Cacique has an extremely large range plus it is described as ‘common but patchily distributed’ throughout it’s range and even though it’s numbers are reported to be in decline it is classified as a species “of least concern” on the IUCN red list.