ANIMALS – BIRDS – SONGBIRDS – MANY-COLOURED RUSH TYRANT (TACHURIS RUBRIGASTRA) #2

Animals - Birds - Songbirds

Many-coloured Rush Tyrant (Tachuris rubrigastra)

Scientific Classification:

Kingdom : Animalia
Phylum : Chordata
Class : Aves
Order : Passeriformes
Family : Tyrannidae
Genus : Tachuris
Species : T. Rubrigastra

Description:

The Many-coloured rush tyrant (Tachuris rubrigastra) or Many-colored rush tyrant is a small passerine bird of South America belonging to the tyrant flycatcher family. It is the only member of the genus Tachuris and its relationships with the other members of the family are uncertain. It inhabits marshland and reedbeds around lakes and rivers. It is particularly associated with stands of Scirpus. The nest is built among plant stems.

There are four subspecies: T. r. rubrigastra is the most widespread, occurring from south-east Brazil to southern Argentina and central Chile. T. r. alticola is found in the Andes of south-east Peru, west Bolivia and north-west Argentina. T. r. libertatis is found in coastal Peru while T. r. loaensis is restricted to Antofagasta Region in northern Chile.

It is a small bird, 10.5 cm in length. The tail is short, the wings are short and rounded and the bill is slender. As the bird's name suggests, the plumage is very colorful. The back and rump are green while the underparts are yellow apart from the white throat, black breastband and red undertail-coverts. The face is dark blue-grey, there is a yellow stripe over the eye and the crown is dark with a red patch that is often concealed. The wings and tail are dark with a white wingbar and white outer tail-feathers. Juveniles are considerably duller than the adults.

Binomial Name:

Name : Tachuris rubrigastra
Taxonomist : Louis Jean Pierre Vieillot (Yvetot - France)
Year : 1817
Subspecies : 4 (Rubigastra, Alticola, Libertatis, Ioaensis)
Synonyms : Sylvia rubrigastra

Conservation Status by IUCN:

Status : Least Concern

Has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as evaluated but not qualified for any other category. As such they do not qualify as threatened, near threatened, or (prior to 2001) conservation dependent.

Philatelic Issues

1999 - Uruguay - Stamp 4 of 4, from Birds and Trees Series

Issue information:

Country: Uruguay
Date: April 14th, 1999
Printed: 35.000 Copies
Type: Stamp from Series of 4 Stamps
Value: UYP 7

Stamp: Rectangular
Size: 39 mm. x 27 mm.
Perforation: Circular
Gum: Water Activated

ANIMALS – BIRDS – SONGBIRDS – FAWN-BREASTED TANAGER (PIPRAEIDEA MELANONOTA)

Animals - Birds - Songbirds

Fawn-breasted tanager (Pipraeidea melanonota)

Scientific Classification:

Kingdom : Animalia
Phylum : Chordata
Class : Aves
Order : Passeriformes
Family : Thraupidae
Genus : Pipraeidea
Species : P. Melanonota

Description:

The Fawn-breasted tanager (Pipraeidea melanonota) is a species of tanager with a blue head and yellow breast. It is in the genus Pipraeidea, along with the Blue-and-yellow tanager. It occurs in the Andes of northwestern Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela, as well as in the highlands of northeastern Argentina, south Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.

Binomial Name:

Name : Pipraeidea melanonota
Taxonomist : Louis Jean Pierre Vieillot (Yvetot - France)
Year : 1819
Subspecies : None, or not data available
Synonyms : None, or not data available

Conservation Status by IUCN:

Status : Least Concern

Has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as evaluated but not qualified for any other category. As such they do not qualify as threatened, near threatened, or (prior to 2001) conservation dependent.

Philatelic Issues

1999 - Uruguay - Stamp 1 of 4, from Birds and Trees Series

Issue information:

Country: Uruguay
Date: April 14th, 1999
Printed: 35.000 Copies
Type: Stamp from Series of 4 Stamps
Value: UYP 7

Stamp: Rectangular
Size: 39 mm. x 27 mm.
Perforation: Circular
Gum: Water Activated

ANIMALS – BIRDS – SONGBIRDS – COMMON MINER (GEOSITTA CUNICULARIA)

Animals - Birds - Songbirds

Common miner (Geositta cunicularia)

Scientific Classification:

Kingdom : Animalia
Phylum : Chordata
Class : Aves
Order : Passeriformes
Family : Furnariidae
Genus : Geositta
Species : G. Cunicularia

Description:

The Common miner (Geositta cunicularia) is a passerine bird of South America, belonging to the ovenbird family. It is a ground-dwelling bird which feeds on insects and seeds. It has about 9 different subspecies, some of which may be better treated as separate species.

It is 14 to 16 cm long with a fairly long, slightly downcurved bill. The plumage varies geographically but is basically brown above and pale below with a streaked breast, pale stripe over the eye, dark edge to the ear-coverts and pale rufous bar across the wing. The tail is dark with a buff base and variable amounts of buff on the outer feathers. The trilling song is often given in flight and also varies geographically.

The species occurs in open habitats such as grassland, sand dunes and beaches from sea-level to high in the Andes. It is widespread and sometimes common across much of Chile, Argentina and Uruguay, parts of Peru and Bolivia and in southernmost Brazil. In winter there is some northward migration by southern birds with a few reaching Paraguay.

The bird lays two or three white eggs in a chamber at the end of a tunnel, up to 3 metres long, dug into an earth bank or sand dune.

Binomial Name:

Name : Geositta cunicularia
Taxonomist : Louis Jean Pierre Vieillot (Yvetot - France)
Year : 1816
Subspecies : None, or not data available
Synonyms : None, or not data available

Conservation Status by IUCN:

Status : Least Concern

Has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as evaluated but not qualified for any other category. As such they do not qualify as threatened, near threatened, or (prior to 2001) conservation dependent.

Philatelic Issues

2000 - Uruguay - Stamp 2 of 4, from Birds Series

Issue information:

Country: Uruguay
Date: September 27th, 2000
Printed: 25.000 Copies
Type: Stamp from Series of 4 Stamps
Value: UYP 4

Stamp: Rectangular
Size: 35 mm. x 22 mm.
Perforation: Circular
Gum: Water Activated

ANIMALS – BIRDS – SONGBIRDS – LONG-TAILED REED FINCH (DONACOSPIZA ALBIFRONS)

Animals - Birds - Songbirds

Long-tailed reed finch (Donacospiza albifrons)

Scientific Classification:

Kingdom : Animalia
Phylum : Chordata
Class : Aves
Order : Passeriformes
Family : Emberizidae
Genus : Donacospiza
Species : D. Albifrons

Description:

The Long-tailed reed finch (Donacospiza albifrons) is a species of bird traditionally placed in the Emberizidae family. It has been suggested though that its nearest relations may be the finch-like tanagers of the genus Poospiza in the family Thraupidae. It is the only member of its genus, Donacospiza.

It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. Its natural habitats are temperate grassland, subtropical or tropical seasonally wet or flooded lowland grassland, and swamps.

Binomial Name:

Name : Donacospiza albifrons
Taxonomist : Louis Jean Pierre Vieillot (Yvetot - France)
Year : 1817
Subspecies : None, or not data available
Synonyms : None, or not data available

Conservation Status by IUCN:

Status : Least Concern

Has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as evaluated but not qualified for any other category. As such they do not qualify as threatened, near threatened, or (prior to 2001) conservation dependent.

Philatelic Issues

2000 - Uruguay - Stamp 1 of 4, from Birds Series

Issue information:

Country: Uruguay
Date: September 27th, 2000
Printed: 25.000 Copies
Type: Stamp from Series of 4 Stamps
Value: UYP 5

Stamp: Rectangular
Size: 35 mm. x 22 mm.
Perforation: Circular
Gum: Water Activated

ANIMALS – BIRDS – SONGBIRDS – PLUSH-CRESTED JAY (CYANOCORAX CHRYSOPS)

Animals - Birds - Songbirds

Plush-crested jay (Cyanocorax chrysops)

Scientific Classification:

Kingdom : Animalia
Phylum : Chordata
Class : Aves
Order : Passeriformes
Family : Corvidae
Genus : Cyanocorax
Species : C. Chrysops

Description:

The Plush-crested jay (Cyanocorax chrysops) is a jay of the family Corvidae (which includes the crows and their many allies). It is found in central-southern South America: in southwestern Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, and northeastern Argentina, including southern regions of the Amazon Basin river systems bordering the Pantanal.

This is an elegant medium-sized bird, dark plumaged with a cream-yellow breast; the bulky tail is also cream colored, top and underneath, for the lower half.

The range of the plush-crested jay extends from the Southern Region, Brazil with Uruguay and approaches the South Atlantic coast, but avoids the coast, approximating a 400 to 150 km coastal strip; the coastal-inland range extends 3500 km from São Paulo south to Rio Grande do Sul bordering Uruguay. The inland range continues in northwestern Uruguay and extends northwest through northern Argentina, Paraguay–Bolivia, and through the pantanal at the southern cerrado; the range extends in two arms, to the northwest to northern Bolivia, and northeastwards to headwaters of the Amazon Basin Tapajós River.

In the Amazon Basin, central Bolivia is the northwest range limit, the headwater tributaries to the north-northeast flowing Madeira River; the next range skips the Guaporé River, (a northwest-flowing tributary to the Madeira), eastwards on the Brazil–Bolivia border, and is next found at the headwaters of the Tapajós River, and joins on the east the extreme headwaters of the Xingu River.

A disjunct range occurs downstream on the Tapajós and east towards the Xingu River, a block 850 by 750 kilometres (530 mi × 470 mi). Two other localized populations occur in the Amazon Basin, one on the Amazon River, the other on the downstream Madeira River.

Binomial Name:

Name : Cyanocorax chrysops
Taxonomist : Louis Jean Pierre Vieillot (Yvetot - France)
Year : 1818
Subspecies : None, or no data available
Synonyms : None, or no data available

Conservation Status by IUCN:

Status : Least Concern

Has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as evaluated but not qualified for any other category. As such they do not qualify as threatened, near threatened, or (prior to 2001) conservation dependent.

Philatelic Issues

2008 – Uruguay – Stamp 2 of 2, from Mercosur Series

Issue information:

Country: Uruguay
Date: June 20th, 2008
Printed: 15.000 Copies
Type: Stamp from Series of 2 Stamps
Value: UYP 37

Stamp: Rectangular
Size: 27 mm. x 39 mm.
Perforation: Circular
Gum: Water Activated

ANIMALS – BIRDS – SONGBIRDS – HEPATIC TANAGER (PIRANGA FLAVA)

Animals - Birds - Songbirds

Hepatic Tanager (Piranga flava)

Scientific Classification:

Kingdom : Animalia
Phylum : Chordata
Class : Aves
Order : Passeriformes
Family : Cardinalidae
Genus : Piranga
Species : P. Flava

Description:

The Hepatic tanager (Piranga flava) is a medium-sized American songbird. Formerly placed in the tanager family (Thraupidae), it and other members of its genus are now classified in the cardinal family (Cardinalidae). The species's plumage and vocalizations are similar to other members of the cardinal family.

The common name hepatic means "liver-coloured", namely, brownish-red. The specific name flāva is Latin for yellow or golden.

The habits of the hepatic tanager are similar to those of the western tanager. It ranges from the southwestern United States (Arizona, New Mexico, and locally in southern California and Colorado) to northern Argentina.

Members of the northern group are larger and stockier than other Piranga tanagers and have a relatively short tail and a stout bill. Its brightest color is always on its forehead and throat. In all plumages, it has gray flanks, dusky cheeks, and a dark eye streak. The female is yellow, and the male is red. Its average weight is 38 g (1.3 oz). Its average wingspan is 31.8 cm (12.5 in) and length is 20.3 cm (8.0 in).

Its call is a low, dry chup like the hermit thrush. Its song is clearer than Thraupidae tanagers and far more similar to the song of the black-headed grosbeak, another member of the Cardinalidae. The flight call is a husky and rising weet.

It looks for food in the foliage of trees, moving slowly and methodically; different individuals use different strategies. In summer, the northern form largely eats insects, spiders and some fruit. In Mexico, it has been observed to eat nectar. From Oaxaca south, it follows swarms of army ants.

Binomial Name:

Name : Piranga flava
Taxonomist : Louis Jean Pierre Vieillot (Yvetot - France)
Year : 1822
Subspecies : None, or no data available
Synonyms : Piranga hepatica

Conservation Status by IUCN:

Status : Least Concern

Has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as evaluated but not qualified for any other category. As such they do not qualify as threatened, near threatened, or (prior to 2001) conservation dependent.

Philatelic Issues

2008 – Uruguay – Stamp 1 of 2, from Mercosur Series

Issue information:

Country: Uruguay
Date: June 20th, 2008
Printed: 15.000 Copies
Type: Stamp from Series of 2 Stamps
Value: UYP 12

Stamp: Rectangular
Size: 39 mm. x 27 mm.
Perforation: Circular
Gum: Water Activated

ANIMALS – BIRDS – SONGBIRDS – MANY-COLOURED RUSH TYRANT (TACHURIS RUBRIGASTRA)

Animals - Birds - Songbirds

Many-coloured Rush Tyrant (Tachuris rubrigastra)

Scientific Classification:

Kingdom : Animalia
Phylum : Chordata
Class : Aves
Order : Passeriformes
Family : Tyrannidae
Genus : Tachuris
Species : T. Rubrigastra

Description:

The Many-coloured rush tyrant (Tachuris rubrigastra) or Many-colored rush tyrant is a small passerine bird of South America belonging to the tyrant flycatcher family. It is the only member of the genus Tachuris and its relationships with the other members of the family are uncertain. It inhabits marshland and reedbeds around lakes and rivers. It is particularly associated with stands of Scirpus. The nest is built among plant stems.

There are four subspecies: T. r. rubrigastra is the most widespread, occurring from south-east Brazil to southern Argentina and central Chile. T. r. alticola is found in the Andes of south-east Peru, west Bolivia and north-west Argentina. T. r. libertatis is found in coastal Peru while T. r. loaensis is restricted to Antofagasta Region in northern Chile.

It is a small bird, 10.5 cm in length. The tail is short, the wings are short and rounded and the bill is slender. As the bird's name suggests, the plumage is very colorful. The back and rump are green while the underparts are yellow apart from the white throat, black breastband and red undertail-coverts. The face is dark blue-grey, there is a yellow stripe over the eye and the crown is dark with a red patch that is often concealed. The wings and tail are dark with a white wingbar and white outer tail-feathers. Juveniles are considerably duller than the adults.

Binomial Name:

Name : Tachuris rubrigastra
Taxonomist : Louis Jean Pierre Vieillot (Yvetot - France)
Year : 1817
Subspecies : 4 (Rubigastra, Alticola, Libertatis, Ioaensis)
Synonyms : Sylvia rubrigastra

Conservation Status by IUCN:

Status : Least Concern

Has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as evaluated but not qualified for any other category. As such they do not qualify as threatened, near threatened, or (prior to 2001) conservation dependent.

Philatelic Issues

2009 – Uruguay – Stamp 3 of 4, from Spring Series

Issue information:

Country: Uruguay
Date: October 13th, 2009
Printed: 15.000 Copies
Type: Stamp from Series of 4 Stamps
Value: UYP 15

Stamp: Rectangular
Size: 39 mm. x 27 mm.
Perforation: Circular
Gum: Water Activated

ANIMALS - BIRDS - SEABIRDS - PLUMBEOS IBIS (THERISTICUS CAERULESCENS)

Animals - Birds - Seabirds

Plumbeous ibis (Theristicus caerulescens)

Scientific Classification:

Kingdom : Animalia
Phylum : Chordata
Class : Aves
Order : Pelecaniformes
Family : Threskiornithidae
Genus : Theristicus
Species : T. Caerulescens

Description:

The Plumbeous ibis (Theristicus caerulescens) is a species of bird in the Threskiornithidae family. It is found in grassland, savanna, fields and marshes in central South America, ranging in south-central and south-eastern Brazil, eastern and northern Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay and northern Argentina. It is generally fairly common and is easily seen in the Pantanal among other areas.

It is a distinctive bird, being overall grey with elongated plumes on the nape and neck, a narrow white band on the forehead and reddish legs. Unlike many other ibises, the plumbeous ibis is rather asocial and typically seen alone or in pairs.

Its name is derived from the Latin word for lead, plumbum, in reference to its lead-grey colour.

Binomial Name:

Name : Theristicus caerulescens
Taxonomist : Louis Jean Pierre Vieillot (Yvetot - France)
Year : 1817
Subspecies : None or not data available
Synonyms : None or not data available

Conservation Status by IUCN:

Status : Least Concern

Has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as evaluated but not qualified for any other category. As such they do not qualify as threatened, near threatened, or (prior to 2001) conservation dependent.

Philatelic Issues

2015 - Uruguay - Stamp 5 of 10, from Wetland Animals Series

Issue information:

Country: Uruguay
Date: June 5th, 2015
Printed: 10.000 Copies
Type: Stamp from Series of 10 Stamps
Value: UYP 15

Stamp: Rectangular
Size: 39 mm. x 27 mm.
Perforation: Circular
Gum: Water Activated

ANIMALS - BIRDS - OWLS - STRIPPED OWL (PSEUDOSCOPS CLAMATOR)

Animals - Birds - Owls

Striped owl (Pseudoscops clamator)

Scientific Classification:

Kingdom : Animalia
Phylum : Chordata
Class : Aves
Order : Strigiformes
Family : Strigidae
Genus : Pseudoscops (disputed)
Species : P. Clamator

Description:

The Striped owl (Pseudoscops clamator) is a medium-sized owl with large ear tufts and a brownish-white facial disk rimmed with black. Its beak is black, and it has cinnamon-colored eyes. It has shorter, rounder wings than most of its close relatives. The upperparts are cinnamon with fine black vermiculation and heavy stripes. The underparts are pale tawny with dusky streaks. It is native to South America, and parts of Central America.

Its systematic placement is not resolved. Different authorities place it in Asio, in Pseudoscops together with the Jamaican owl, or more rarely into the monotypic genus Rhinoptynx.

The striped owl is a relatively large species with prominent tufts of elongated feathers on the crown resembling ears. It is 30–38 centimetres (12–15 in) and weighs from 320 to 546 g (11.3 to 19.3 oz). Its head, back, hot wings and tail are brown with black stripes and small markings while its underparts are buff-colored with heavy black streaking on the breast. The facial disk is pure white with a thin black border.

The striped owl is native to much of South and Central America. Its range is not well known, perhaps because it is nocturnal and not easily seen, but it is known from Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay and Venezuela. It uses a variety of habitats, including riparian woodlands, marshes, savannahs, grassy open areas, and tropical rainforests. It can be found from sea level to 1,600 metres (5,200 ft) and above.

Binomial Name:

Name : Pseudoscops clamator
Taxonomist : Louis Jean Pierre Vieillot (Yvetot - France)
Year : 1807
Subspecies : None or not data available
Synonyms : Asio clamator, Rhinoptynx clamator

Conservation Status by IUCN:

Status : Least Concern

Has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as evaluated but not qualified for any other category. As such they do not qualify as threatened, near threatened, or (prior to 2001) conservation dependent.

Philatelic Issues

2015 - Uruguay - Stamp 8 of 8, from Owls Series

Issue information:

Country: Uruguay
Date: September 30th, 2015
Printed: 10.000 copies
Type : Stamp from Series of 8 Stamps
Value : UYP 15

Stamp : Rectangular
Size: 39 mm. x 27 mm.
Perforation: Circular
Gum: Water Activated

ANIMALS - BIRDS - OWLS - TROPICAL SCREECH OWL (MEGASCOPS CHOLIBA)

Animals - Birds - Owls

Tropical screech owl (Megascops choliba)

Scientific Classification:

Kingdom : Animalia
Phylum : Chordata
Class : Aves
Order : Strigiformes
Family : Strigdae
Genus : Megascops
Species : M. choliba

Description:

The Tropical screech owl (Megascops choliba) is a small species of owl in the family Strigidae.

It is found throughout South America (including Trinidad and Tobago), except in the Andes, the arid Pacific lowlands, and the far south. Its distribution also extends into southern Central America in Costa Rica and Panama. It is generally common – in large parts of its range among the most common species of owls and likely the most common screech owl of the tropics. It occurs in a wide range of wooded habitats, ranging from arid Caatinga to dense rainforest, and even city parks.

This polymorphic species is highly variable in color, it being overall grey-brown or (less commonly) brown or rufous, but always with a relatively distinctive blackish edge to the face and yellow irises. The length is 21–23 centimeters (8.3–9.1 in) long and weight is 97–160 grams (3.4–5.6 oz).

Binomial Name:

Name : Megascops choliba
Taxonomist : Louis Jean Pierre Vieillot (Yvetot - France)
Year : 1782
Subspecies : 9 (Choliba, Luctisomus, Margaritae, … )
Synonym : Otus choliba

Conservation Status by IUCN:

Status : Least Concern

Has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as evaluated but not qualified for any other category. As such they do not qualify as threatened, near threatened, or (prior to 2001) conservation dependent.

Philatelic Issues

2015 - Uruguay - Stamp 4 of 8, from Owls Series

Issue information:

Country: Uruguay
Date: September 30th, 2015
Printed: 10.000 copies
Type : Stamp from Series of 8 Stamps
Value : UYP 15

Stamp : Rectangular
Size: 39 mm. x 27 mm.
Perforation: Circular
Gum: Water Activated