A look at the birds in the Cerrado savanna—Part 2

 Versicolored emerald  (3.25 inches (8.5 cm)), Amazilia versicolor, pollinating the emblematic flower of the Cerrado savanna, the Calliandra dysantha.

Glittering-throated emerald  (3.5–4.5 inches (9–11.5 cm)), Amazilia fimbriata, pollinating the coral plant Russelia equisetiformis.

Sapphire-spangled emerald (3–4.25 inches (8–11 cm)), Amazilia lactea, pollinating the mulungu flower Erythrina mulungu.

Black-throated mango (4.5 inches (11.5 cm)), Anthracothorax nigricollis, female, on the orange flame vine flower Combretum fruticosum.

Swallow-tailed hummingbird (6–7.5 inches (15–19 cm)), Eupetomena macroura, collecting nectar from the banana plant flower Musa sp.

 Yellow-rumped cacique  (10.5–11.5 inches (27–29.5 cm)), Cacicus cela, building its nest with palm leaf fibers.

Green ibis  (22.75 inches (58 cm)), Mesembrinibis cayennensis, a bird with crepuscular habits and a good indicator of water. Found on the banks of lakes, rivers, and streams.

Buff-necked ibis  (27.5 inches (70 cm)), Theristicus caudatus

Black-bellied whistling duck (19 inches (48 cm)), Dendrocygna autumnalis

Brazilian teal  (15.75 inches (40 cm)), Amazonetta brasiliensis, is the most common duck in much of Brazil.

Rufous-sided crake 6.75 inches (17 cm)), Laterallus melanophaius

Red-legged seriema  (35.5 inches (90 cm)), Cariama cristata, major predator of snakes. Its song is considered the voice of the Cerrado savanna, and it makes the sound by throwing its head back.

Greater rhea, Rhea americana, male caring for fledglings. The female merely lays the eggs and leaves her mate to brood and rear the fledglings.

Squirrel cuckoo  (15.75–19 inches (40–48 cm)), Piaya cayana

Guira cuckoo  (15 inches (38 cm)), Guira guira

Smoothed-bill ani  (14.25 inches (36 cm)), Crotophaga ani

Undulated tinamou  (11–12.5 inches (28–32 cm)), Crypturellus undulatus, its melancholic chirping, heard in the early morning and between mid afternoon and dusk, sounds as if it is saying eu sou jaó (Portuguese for I'm a tinamou) … 

Lineated woodpecker (11.75–14.25 inches (30–36 cm)), Dryocopus lineatus

Blond-crested woodpecker (9.75–11.75 inches (25–30 cm)), Celeus flavescens

 Crimson-crested woodpecker  (13–15 inches (33–38 cm)), Campephilus melanoleucos, getting ready to peck.

Fork-tailed palm swift  (4.5 inches (11.5 cm)), Tachornis squamata, on a dry leaf of a buriti palm, where it is building its bag-like nest from feathers, spittle, and plant material.

 Purple-throated euphonia  (3.75 inches (9.5 cm)), Euphonia chlorotica, feeding on the atemoya fruit Annona × atemoya.

Rufous-fronted thornbird  (6.25 inches (16 cm)), Phacellodomus rufifrons, on top of its enormous nest of twigs.

Common tody-flycatcher  (3.5 inches (9 cm)), Todirostrum cinereum, mating pair building their nest with leaf litter, small dry twigs, and silk cotton floss.

Narrow-billed woodpecker (7–8.50 inches (18–22 cm)), Lepidocolaptes angustirostris

Pauraque (11.75 inches (30 cm)), Nyctidromus albicollis, camouflaged by dry leaves during its daytime rest.

Surucua trogon  (10.25 inches (26 cm)), Trogon surrucura

Horned screamer  (31.5 inches (80 cm)), Anhima cornuta, on its nest built on floating plants. A good indicator of water status, it tends to move its territory as river levels fall.

Hyacinth macaw (27.5–39.25 inches (70–100 cm)), Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus, threatened with extinction due to habitat loss and trafficking.

Blue-and-yellow macaw (29.5–32.5 inches (75–83 cm)), Ara ararauna

Blue-crowned parakeet (14.5 inches (37 cm)), Thectocercus acuticaudatus

Chestnut-eared aracari (17–18.50 inches (43–47 cm)), Pteroglossus castanotis

Channel-billed toucan  (18–22 inches (46–56 cm)), Ramphastos vitellinus pintoi, endemic to central Brazil.

Green-billed toucan  (16.5–19 inches (42–48 cm)), Ramphastos dicolorus

Toco toucan (11.75–13.75 inches (30–35 cm)), Ramphastos toco fledgling, in its first contact with the outside world, spotted in its nest, built in a hole in a termite nest.

Bare-faced curassow (20.25–33.5 inches (77–85 cm)), Crax fasciolata

Snowy egret (20–24 inches (51–61 cm)), Egretta thula

Whistling heron (20.75 inches (53 cm)), Syrigma sibilatrix, unlike other herons, it flies with its neck straight.

Least grebe (8.25–10.25 inches (21–26 cm)), Tachybaptus dominicus, diving to catch its prey: small fish, tadpoles, and invertebrates.

Neotropic cormorant (22.75–28.75 inches (58–73 cm)), Phalacrocorax brasilianus

Anhinga  (31.5 inches (80 cm)), Anhinga anhinga        

Jabiru (55 inches (140 cm)), Jabiru mycteria

Limpkin (24–27.5 inches (61–70 cm)), Aramus guarauna