ALTMarch 21, 2025 - Vilcabamba Thistletail (Asthenes vilcabambae)
Found only in a small range in the Andes in southern Peru, these birds in the ovenbird family inhabit scrub, stunted forest, and grassland. They likely pick arthropods from leaves and branches, foraging alone and in pairs, though the details of their diet are unknown. Nothing is known about their breeding behavior.
ALTMarch 20, 2025 - Fawn-breasted Wren (Cantorchilus guarayanus)
Found in parts of northeastern Bolivia, nearby western Brazil, and northern Paraguay, these wrens live in forests and shrublands, often near water. While their diet has not been recorded, they are known to forage in dense vegetation in pairs at some times of year and in small family groups at others. They build domed nests with side entrances from fine grasses and root hairs in weeds, bushes, or the bases of small palms. Females lay clutches of two eggs.
ALTMarch 19, 2025 - Tepui Brushfinch (Atlapetes personatus)
These brushfinches are found in parts of Venezuela, Brazil, and Guyana in and around mountain forests. The details of their diet are unknown but they likely eat insects and seeds, foraging in pairs or small groups, sometimes with other species. Little is known about their breeding behavior, though their nests are thought to be cup-shaped, like those of closely related species.
ALTMarch 18, 2025 - Glaucous-blue Grosbeak or Indigo Grosbeak (Cyanoloxia glaucocaerulea)
Found in parts of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay, these grosbeaks live around the edges of forests, on river islands, and in marshes. They usually forage alone or in pairs, though their diet has not been documented. Breeding from October to December in Uruguay, they build cup-shaped nests from twigs in dense vegetation where females lay clutches of two to four eggs.
ALTMarch 17, 2025 - Yellow-billed Tit-Tyrant (Anairetes flavirostris)
Found in parts of Peru, Chile, Bolivia, and Argentina, these tyrant flycatchers live in scrub, grasslands, and woodlands. Foraging in bushes and shrubs alone, in pairs, or in family groups, they eat insects and some grass seeds. They build shallow cup-shaped nests in shrubs from plant fibers, thistle down, lichen, and feathers. Females lay clutches of two or three eggs.
ALTMarch 16, 2025 - White-chinned Woodcreeper (Dendrocincla merula)
These woodcreepers are found in lowland forests and wetlands across northern South America. They eat mostly arthropods, along with some small vertebrates, capturing prey in short flights as it flees ant swarms and sometimes peccaries. Little is known about their breeding behavior, though they are thought to nest in cavities and females likely care for the chicks alone.
ALTMarch 15, 2025 - Turquoise Dacnis (Dacnis hartlaubi)
Found only in Colombia, these birds in the tanager family live in and around mountain forests and in cocoa and shade coffee plantations. They eat fruit, arthropods, and nectar, foraging alone or in groups, sometimes with other species. Very little is known about their breeding behavior, though a male in breeding condition was found in August and a nest was found in an acacia with two fledglings in March. They are classified as Near Threatened by the IUCN due to suspected population declines from ongoing habitat loss.
April 1, 2025 - Fluffy Tit (Zeltus amasa)
Found in parts of South and Southeast Asia, these tits live in and around forests. They feed on nectar, flowers, and buds. Males sometimes gather on the forest floor to drink and feed on nutrients from the moist soil. Females lay their eggs on the buds or bases of flowers.
ALTMarch 14, 2025 - Rusty-bellied Shortwing (Brachypteryx hyperythra)
These flycatchers are found in forests and shrublands in parts of India, Myanmar, and China. While the details of their diet are unknown, it includes beetles. They typically forage on the ground and in low vegetation. Little is known about their nesting behavior, though they probably breed between April and June, as this is when they sing most intensely. They are classified as Near Threatened by the IUCN as their population is thought to be declining due to deforestation in their small range.
ALTMarch 13, 2025 - White-browed Ground-Tyrant (Muscisaxicola albilora)
Breeding in central Chile and nearby Argentina, these tyrant flycatchers winter in parts of Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. They eat insects, along with some seeds and berries, foraging on the ground alone, in pairs, or in groups, sometimes with other species. Females probably build the open cup-shaped nests alone from grass and feathers in cavities between rocks and in rock walls. Both parents feed the chicks.
ALTMarch 12, 2025 - Chinese Penduline Tit (Remiz consobrinus)
Breeding in northeastern China and southeastern Russia and wintering in southeastern China, the Korean Peninsula, and southern Japan, these penduline tits inhabit marshes, reedbeds, and other wet, grassy areas. Foraging in small or large flocks, they feed on insects and seeds. Males begin weaving oval-shaped pouch nests with entrance tubes near the tops from plant fibers before finding a mate and females later help to complete them. One or both parents incubate the eggs and care for the chicks.
ALTMarch 11, 2025 - Necklaced Barbet (Psilopogon auricularis)
These barbets are found in hill and mountain forests in southeastern Laos and southern Vietnam. While the details of their diet are unknown, it is probably similar to that of closely related barbets that feed mainly on fruit and some insects. Nothing is known about their breeding behavior.