English             -            Rufous Hornero

Portuguese      -           João-de-barro

Latin                 -            Furnarius rufus

The Rufous Hornero is a medium-sized ovenbird in the Furnariidae family of birds. It is also known as the red ovenbird and it is the national bird of  Argentina. 

The plumage of the Rufous Hornero is overall reddish brown with a dull brown crown and a whitish throat. Both sexes look alike, and juvenile birds are slightly paler below. It has a square tail and a straight bill. An adult is about 20 cm in length and weighs around 49 grams. It has lighter feathers above the eyes which take the form of eyebrow and is a slight contrast to the rest of the head plumage. They are one of the prettiest calling birds with the vocalisation of male and female slightly different.

The Rufous Hornero occurs in northern and eastern Bolivia, southern Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, and northern and central Argentina. It frequents pastures and cultivated areas, open habitats with bare soil, second-growth scrub, parks and gardens, and may be found near settlements. It is often seen near water such as rivers, lakes and ponds. It is mostly seen in lowlands, but it also frequents dry, cultivated valleys up to 3500 metres.

Rufous Hornero feeds mainly on insects and spiders, and some seeds. Invertebrates, including earthworms, snails and larvae are obtained by foraging on the ground while walking. 

Breeding season for the Rufous Hornero occurs mainly during the austral spring and summer. They build an oven-shaped nest. This large spherical nest is made with clay, mud and vegetation such as straw. It is a 30 cm structure in diameter and up to 25 cm high. The walls are about 3 to 5 cm thick. The nest can weigh up to 5 kg. The nest is usually built about 8 metres above the ground, and is usually situated on an exposed tree branch or any suitable structure.  The female Rufous Hornero usually lays 2 to 4 eggs. and are Incubated by both parents for about 18 days. Chicks are brooded and fed by both adults. The chicks are fed mainly with insects such as crickets and insects’ larvae. Adults share all nesting duties. The young fledge about 26 days after hatching, and depend on their parents for another  two or three weeks. They remain within the parental territory for 4 to 9 months more. This species can produces up to two broods per season. 

The Rufous Hornero is common, even abundant in most part of its range in suitable habitat. This species is not threatened at this moment.  The Rufous Hornero has benefited from human changes to the environment and many live in highly modified habitat, such as city suburbs. In turn abandoned nests may be of benefit to various other species of birds that nest in its unused nests. The saffron Finch is one species that commonly nests in old Rufous Hornero nests. It is not threatened by human activities and is listed as a species “of least concern”  by the IUCN.

Photo of the Rufous Hornero was taken at Museu Vale - Vila Velha - Espirito Santo.