Tiê-blood

Tiê-blood

Species endemic to Brazil.
Bird symbol of the Atlantic. One of the most spectacular birds in the world. The Tanager-blood (Ramphocelus bresilius), also known as ox-blood, tiê-fire, chau-Baêta and tapiranga, is a South American passerine bird in the tanager family. Recognized the beauty of its red plumage.
features

The male's plumage is a bright red, which gave rise to the name. Of the wings and tail are black. The species show sexual dimorphism, with the female's plumage less showy, of brown color on the tops and reddish-brown in the lower.
The immature male is similar to female in breeding plumage but the bill is totally black and not brown. An important feature of Ramphocelus genre, which occurs exclusively in males, is the gleaming white callus at the base of the jaw.
Despite the beauty of the plumage, this species is not considered among those with more beautiful singing. The call vocalization (or warning) is very hard. The song is a melodious and trisyllabic chirp, which is often repeated without hurry. Sometimes, some people vocalize together.
Weighs approximately 31 grams and measures 19 inches long.
food

The Tanager-blood is frugivorous, with preference for the fruits of embaúba. As the trees of the genus Cecropia are quite common in areas where recovery and in locations near watercourses or water reserves, the Tanager-blood, though often fall victim to smuggling, is not immediately threatened with extinction.
It feeds on insects and worms. One factor that benefited the maintenance of blood-Tanager and other tanagers the population on the coast of the Southeast, was the extensive cultivation of bananas, which provides a rich source of food throughout the year, a large number of species.
Enjoying the fruits of fruit-of-thrush or marianeira (Acnistus arborescens)
reproduction

Plays in the spring and summer. Reaches sexual maturity at 12 months. But the superb red and black plumage of the male is only acquired in the second year of life. It makes its nest-shaped basket and is often lined with materials like, palm fiber, sisal fiber, coconut fiber and grass root. The female lays two or three eggs glossy blue-green with black spots, weighing an average of 3 grams. Only the female incubates, however after the birth of the puppies, several individuals feed the offspring, including males. Their nests are often parasitized by the species turns shit (Molothrus bonariensis). The postures occur two to three times per season with 13 day incubation period, the pups become independent approximately 35 days after birth.
During mating the males usually lift the head vertically, displaying the most of gleaming base of the jaw so as to attract the female.
habits

Their behavior is similar to that of pipira-red (Ramphocelus carbo), but live more pairs than in small groups. Usually frequent feeders.

Varies uncommon to locally common in low barns, forest edges, salt marshes and plantations, sometimes also in parks and city squares.