John-of-clay

The Rufous-clay is a passerine bird in the family Furnariidae.

Its name means: ⇒ (red bird construction of furnaces.)

Also known as barreiro, john-barreiro (RS), Maria-barrier (BA), oven-bird, mason, potter, hornero (ARG) and kneaded clay. The female is known as "mud-to-ladybird", "maria-in-mud" or "sabiazinho" in certain regions. It is known for its characteristic clay nest-shaped oven. The Rufous-clay bird is considered hardworking and intelligent. His singing seems a laugh (in the South say that when he sings, it is good time signal) and also say he makes the nest in the opposite direction of the rain, and is friends with everyone fighting to save their nest, home.

features

It measures 18 to 20 inches long and weighs 49 grams. It has a completely reddish brown back (hence the specific epithet rufus). It features a smooth brow, formed by lighter sentences in light contrast with the rest of the head plumage. Primary pinions (flight feathers on the wings) anegradas, visible in flight, with open wings. Ventral is light-colored (some individuals may have the chest, flanks and belly brownish, similar to the back), the chin and neck white. Exception to the tail, which is reddish dorsal both as ventrally. It is one of the birds easier observation in places where it occurs as well as not too far from its territory is not at all shy, leaving the viewer to get a few meters away. When not perched falls to the ground, where he spends much of his time walking very typical alternating small racing mode with intervals at which slows down.

food

The bird, rolling the leaves, search termites, ants or içás the ground or under fallen logs. It feeds also other invertebrates such as earthworms and possibly molluscs. Leverages human food debris, such as pieces of bread.

reproduction

Together, the couple builds a nest interesting, in a clay oven format, which can be easily identified at the top of trees and power lines in country regions. Inside the nest there is a wall separating the inlet and the incubator, constructed to decrease the air currents and possible access predators. Used as raw material moist clay, manure and straw, the proportions of which depend on the type of soil (sandy is, the amount of manure comes to be larger than the land).

Does not use the same nest for two consecutive seasons, like performing a rotation between two and three nests, repairing semi-destroyed old nests. When there is no more space to build new nests, the bird builds up (up to 11) or next to the old.

In urbanized places, when there are appropriate means, the Rufous-clay makes its nest by the window sill. In this case he chooses the meeting between the window and the wall, just as he chooses against branches when nests in trees. The windows should be in a high position and difficult to access. In open fields locations with little or no high tree, and as a protection to the species, it is recommended to lift high poles equipped with horizontal posts. These will be used for nesting.

Nest building takes between 18 days and 1 month, depending on the existence of rain, and therefore of clay in abundance. The nest weighs around 4 pounds and sometimes occurs the construction of several, overlapping (up to 11) in consecutive years. Add 3-4 eggs from September and the incubation lasts 14-18 days. The couple always comes in different positions of the tree, over time, time behind, left or right. (DEMIS BUCCI, Personal Note) The couple, and turns in the construction, sometimes divide tasks, and one is in the nest adjusting the clay and the other brings the material. (DEMIS BUCCI, Personal Note)

Once abandoned, the nests are reused by other bird species (canary-of-ground-true, tuim, sparrow and swallows). They are also reused for lizards, frogs, small snakes, voles and even bees.

habits

It is very common in open landscapes, such as fields, savannas, grasslands, along highways and in gardens. Walks on the ground in search of insects, often landing on poles, fences, isolated branches and other points that allow a good view of the surroundings. It usually lives to couples. Sings in duet (male and female together, each in a slightly different way) around the nest in haughty posture and fluttering wings, with an extremely high-pitched singing. There are several legends about this species and the most famous, who has turned to the subject of a song titled Rufous-clay, says that if the male is betrayed it can lock the female in the nest until she dies. Such behavior has never been recorded scientifically. Some birds like sparrows, canaries and tuins can use Rufous-clay abandoned nests. One likely difficulty for the use of the nests is the temperature of its interior, which gives them the oven name in the scientific name Furnarius as the name in Spanish hornero. This bird typically country has been significantly increasing both its distribution as abundance. It is the bird symbol of Argentina.

Legends about

It is said that there was a man named John. He was a very kind man and made houses with mud and grass, taking care always to make it in the correct position (facing the sunrise). He was so kind that did not charge anything to build houses. After many, many years, God thought it best he rest beside her. All entered into tears over the death of John. To comfort them, God created "John-of-clay", making your house of mud and grass, always facing the sunrise.

One day is counted, fought with Tapera (swallow), which came to dominate him and poured the nest under construction. The female help in nest building, but there seems to be constant, leaving the male. João-de-Barro is faithful to the end, so when he realizes that his wife changed his love, cover the opening of the house, closing it forever.