English              -             Azure Jay

Portuguese      -             Gralha-azul

Latin                 -              Cyanocorax caeruleus

The Azure Jay is a passeriform bird of the crow family, Corvidae. They are the state bird of Parana, in the south of Brazil. Like others in the corvidae family, Azure Jays are highly intelligent.       

The Azure Jay is the largest South American corvid. Its plumage is intensely blue with a contrasting black head and upper chest. Males and females are similar in appearance, although the females are normally smaller in size.  An Adult has a total length of approximately 40cm and weighs about 270g. The legs and bill are black and the eyes are dark red. Their communication is complex, consisting of at least 14 distinct vocalisations. They tend to live in small groups of 6 to 8 individuals.

The Azure Jay is found in south-eastern Brazil, far eastern Paraguay and far north-eastern Argentina. Their range stretches from the south of the state of Rio de Janeiro down to the State of Rio Grande do Sul. They do prefer the habitat of forest edges especially in pine forests. They also inhabit some off shore Islands in the Bay of Paranaguá (Paraná coast). The highest concentration though is found in the Atlantic forest.       

The Azure Jay is omnivorous and even though it feeds extensively on the nut-like seeds of the Parana Pine tree, it is not strictly limited to it, since it also feeds on insects and fruit. It has also been known to take eggs and nestlings from other birds.

Breeding season for the Azure Jay is from October to January. The nest is a flat cup and is composed of twigs, lined with flexible roots. The nests are approx. 18 cm in diameter and are normally high up in trees. Favoured nest sites are in the Parana Pine tree. This bird is a social breeder. The female Azure Jay lays 2–4 eggs The eggs are greenish blue in colour, with grey / brown spots. The spots are concentrated around the larger end of the egg. There is no data on incubation, parental behaviour or fledging of the Azure Jay nestlings.

Due to the continuing destruction of its habitat, the forest-dwelling Azure Jay is likely to be declining quite rapidly throughout its range. It is becoming very rare in the west of its range and is therefore considered a “Near Threatened” species due to habitat loss and deforestation.                

The photo of the Azure Jay was taken at Parque Das Aves - Foz do Iguacu - Parana

English             -               Red-cowled Cardinal

Portuguese     -                Cardeal-do-nordeste

Latin                -                 Paroaria dominicana           

The Red-cowled Cardinal is a bird species in the tanager family (Thraupidae). It was formerly placed in the Emberizidae family but is not very closely related to the cardinals proper (Cardinalidae). 

The Red-cowled Cardinal measures about 18 cm in length and weighs up to 30–34 g. It has a red head and white underparts. The nape of the neck is white. It’s back is mottled black and white and it has a white edging to the flight feathers. The lower mandible is white. The males head is a darker red than the female and the juveniles head colour is normally a rusty brown colour. Song is a sweet, melodious and somewhat repetitive, interspersed with distinctive set of paired notes.           

The Red-cowled Cardinal is endemic to Brazil. It occurs in a wide range of dry to semi-humid open to semi-open habitats in north-eastern Brazil, especially the Caatinga region. It has been introduced (probably by means of escaped caged individuals) to eastern parts of Brazil, being locally common even in urban areas.        

The Red-cowled Cardinal is predominantly a granivore, but it will also feed on berries and will occasionally becomes insectivorous. They forages hopping along the ground, picking up whatever they can find. They are usually found in pairs or in family groups. They are also commonly seen at artificial feeders in parks and private gardens.

During reproduction the Red-cowled Cardinal is monogamous. The male can be very aggressive at defending its territory when they are breeding. Red-cowled Cardinals reach sexual maturity after 10 months. The nest is a bowl shape structure made from twigs, grass and dried plant material. The female will lay between 2 and 3 greenish blue eggs and incubates them for around 13 days In some regions the Red-cowled Cardinals can have 2 to 4 broods per season but in the northeastern caatinga region they only reproduces once in the year, during the rainy season. No other information found regrading fledging, age of independence was found.          

Red-cowled Cardinals are not endangered and is considered to be at a low conservation priority. They are listed as a species “of Least Concern”  However, there is no data on their actual population number but this is another species that seem to be benefiting from the destruction of the rain forest and their numbers are believed to be increasing. Red-cowled Cardinals are kept as pets though and are sold on the black market in Brazil and they are even used for bird fighting. In rural areas, caged Red-cowled Cardinals can be seen in many houses. This deplorable practice is part of the Brazilian northeastern culture. Thus, Red-cowled Cardinals held in captivity are a common sight, and in some areas, they are becoming rare. This trade of wild animals is forbidden by law in Brazil, but continues unabated and in the open, before the eyes of police, the authorities and the general public.

Photo No 1 of the Red-cowled Cardinal was taken at Parque das Aves - Foz do Iguacu - Parana

Photo No 2  was taken in the town of Ibiraçu - Espirito Santo

Photo No 3 was taken at Praca do Papa - Vitoria - Espirito Santo

English             -               Toco Toucan

Portuguese      -               Tucanuçu     

Latin                 -                Ramphastos Toco      

The Toco Toucan, also known as the Common Toucan, Giant Toucan or simply Toucan, is the largest and probably the best known species in the Toucan Family.                                             

Toco Toucans have striking plumage with a black body, white throat and a blue or orange eye ring. Their most noticeable feature, however, is its huge yellow beak with a black or blue tip, which looks heavy but is incredibly light because the inside is hollow.  They have Blueish strong feet and toes to support their weight with two toes pointing forward and two pointing backward. Toco Toucans are around 64 cm long, with their beaks that measure up to 23 cm and can weigh up to 876 g. They also have wingspan of up to 119cm. Both sexes look alike but the female is generally smaller than the male. Toco Toucans usually live in pairs or groups called flocks. They talk to each other using toad likes noises. When a Toco Toucan wants to sleep it turns its head so that its long bill rests on its back, then folds its long tail neatly over the bill. In the wild, the longevity of the Toco Toucan is typically 20 years, which might extend up to a maximum of 26. However, in captivity, their lifespan decreases to about 18 years. Toucans have a number of predators in the South American jungle including humans, large birds of prey and wild cats. Weasels, snakes and rats tend to prey more on their eggs rather than the toucans themselves.           

Toco Toucans thrive over a wide range of habitats and locations throughout much of the Neotropical region. They are native to the countries of Argentina, Peru, French Guiana, Bolivia, Paraguay, Suriname, and Brazil. They are most commonly found in dry semi-open areas, which include regions such as woodland, savanna, plantations, and other regions that consist of scattered trees. In Brazil, Toco Toucans have been found in abundance in the “cerrado.” Brazil’s cerrado consists of savanna, semi-deciduous, and gallery forests surrounding river corridors. Toco Toucans move from one habitat and region to the next in order to satisfy their dietary needs. They are typically found at lowland elevations. However they have been sighted in elevations of up to 1750 m around the Andes mountain range. 

Toco Toucans are canopy frugivores whose diet is composed mainly of fruits. They rely heavily on the availability of seasonal fruiting plants, but they are considered to be opportunistic feeders and will sometimes prey upon insects, frogs, lizards, small birds and, occasionally eggs which really makes them omnivorous. 

Toco Toucan reproduction cycle is annual. When breeding, they search for fallen trees with holes for nesting sites. After mating, the female lays a clutch of two to five eggs. The eggs are incubated for 16-20 days by both the father and the mother. After the chicks hatch, both parents continue to care for the hatchlings. The hatchlings have bare-skin, their eyes are closed and they are helpless at birth until they are about 6 to 8 weeks old, after which they begin to fledge. The nestlings are born with a dull colour, and with a much smaller beak that grows along with their physical development. The range age of sexual or reproductive maturity in both the male and the female is 3 to 4 years. Toco Toucans are very protective of themselves and their chicks.

Because Toco Toucans can live in a variety of habitats, are considered fairly common and they are not as susceptible to rainforest destruction as other species, they are listed by the IUCN as being a species ”of least concern”, meaning its population is not threatened or vulnerable, though its numbers have been decreasing in the wild due to the illegal pet trade industry.

All photos of the Toco Toucans were taken at Parque das Aves - Foz do Iguacu - Parana.