New kid on the block.
17 02 2010Anyone familiar with Brazilian birds will know that the Rufous Hornero is a common enough bird over much of its range in the southern half of Brazil. Not so in our part of the world. It seems that few have made it onto our stretch of coast. There are a few open areas like Cambucá where they can be found along with the even less common Wing-banded Hornero, but here in Ubatuba itself they are, or rather were, absent.
The other day I thought I heard one calling but couldn’t find it, nor did it call again. Assuming I was hearing things I forgot about it; until today that is. Whilst looking at a pod of dolphins in the bay from the balcony, I heard the unmistakeable sound of the hornero again. This time I employed playback, and sure enough the Rufous Hornero flew into view, the first I have seen in nearly three years here! Maybe every telegraph pole in Ubatuba will soon have its own pair of horneros with their distinctive mud nests. On the other hand, if there is only one, maybe he’ll be out of luck and move on leaving us bereft of their noisy presence again.
Clearly this is a new bird for the apartment list, whizzing me on to 85.
Rufous Hornero.
Photograph © Tommy Pedersen.
