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.