The rufous hornero (''Furnarius rufus'') is a medium-sized ovenbird in the family
Furnariidae. It occurs in eastern
South America
South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a considerably smaller portion in the Northern Hemisphere. It can also be described as the southern Subregion#Americas, subregion o ...
and is the
national bird
This is a list of national birds, including official birds of overseas territories and other states described as nations. Most species in the list are officially designated. Some species hold only an "unofficial" status. The column is marked a ...
of
Argentina
Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...
. Also known as the red ovenbird, it is common in savannas, second-growth scrub, pastures, and agricultural land and is
synanthropic
A synanthrope (from ancient Greek σύν ''sýn'' "together, with" and ἄνθρωπος ''ánthrōpos'' "man") is an organism that evolved to live near humans and benefit from human settlements and their environmental modifications (see also ...
. Its range includes midwestern, southeastern, and southern
Brazil
Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
,
Bolivia
Bolivia, officially the Plurinational State of Bolivia, is a landlocked country located in central South America. The country features diverse geography, including vast Amazonian plains, tropical lowlands, mountains, the Gran Chaco Province, w ...
,
Paraguay
Paraguay, officially the Republic of Paraguay, is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the Argentina–Paraguay border, south and southwest, Brazil to the Brazil–Paraguay border, east and northeast, and Boli ...
,
Uruguay
Uruguay, officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast, while bordering the Río de la Plata to the south and the A ...
, and northern and central
Argentina
Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...
, extending as far south as northern
Patagonia
Patagonia () is a geographical region that includes parts of Argentina and Chile at the southern end of South America. The region includes the southern section of the Andes mountain chain with lakes, fjords, temperate rainforests, and glaciers ...
. The species is most closely related to the
crested hornero
The crested hornero (''Furnarius cristatus'') is a species of bird in the Furnariinae subfamily of the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, and Paraguay.
Taxonomy and systematics
The crested hornero is most closely ...
of Paraguay and Argentina. There are four accepted
subspecies
In Taxonomy (biology), biological classification, subspecies (: subspecies) is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (Morphology (biology), morpholog ...
.
The rufous hornero is medium-sized with a square tail and very slightly decurved bill. The
plumage
Plumage () is a layer of feathers that covers a bird and the pattern, colour, and arrangement of those feathers. The pattern and colours of plumage differ between species and subspecies and may vary with age classes. Within species, there can b ...
is overall reddish brown with a dull brown crown and a whitish throat. Sexes are alike and juvenile birds are slightly paler below (probably because they are cleaner). Rufous horneros feed on
insect
Insects (from Latin ') are Hexapoda, hexapod invertebrates of the class (biology), class Insecta. They are the largest group within the arthropod phylum. Insects have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body (Insect morphology#Head, head, ...
s and other
arthropod
Arthropods ( ) are invertebrates in the phylum Arthropoda. They possess an arthropod exoskeleton, exoskeleton with a cuticle made of chitin, often Mineralization (biology), mineralised with calcium carbonate, a body with differentiated (Metam ...
s obtained by foraging on the ground while walking. They sometimes feed on scraps such as bread crumbs. Songs in the rufous hornero are sexually distinct. The rapid trill that is usually heard as part of the duet is faster in the male and slower in the female, and both beat their wings at their sides while singing and the wings beat at the same rate as their trill. Thus, while watching an observer may identify the sex by how fast their wings beat while singing.
Taxonomy
The first notes taken on the species were made by
Philibert Commerson
Philibert Commerson (; 18 November 1727 – 14 March 1773), sometimes spelled Commerçon by contemporaries, was a French naturalist, best known for accompanying Louis Antoine de Bougainville on his voyage of circumnavigation in 1766–1769.
...
in 1767, from a specimen obtained at
Barragán cove
The Ensenada de Barragán ("Barragán's Bay, or Cove") is a small bay on the Río de la Plata, some southeast of Buenos Aires, Argentina. The area is in the Ensenada district of Buenos Aires province, centred on the city of the Ensenada. The ol ...
during
Louis Antoine de Bougainville
Louis-Antoine, Comte de Bougainville (; 12 November 1729 – 31 August 1811) was a French military officer and explorer. A contemporary of the British explorer James Cook, he served in the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War. B ...
's expedition. Commerson named the bird ''Turdus fulvus'' and his notes were later published by
Georges Buffon
Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon (; 7 September 1707 – 16 April 1788) was a French naturalist, mathematician, and cosmologist. He held the position of ''intendant'' (director) at the ''Jardin du Roi'', now called the Jardin des plantes ...
in his ''
Histoire Naturelle
The ''Histoire Naturelle, générale et particulière, avec la description du Cabinet du Roi'' (; ) is an encyclopaedic collection of 36 large (quarto) volumes written between 1749–1804, initially by the Georges-Louis Leclerc de Buffon, Comte ...
'' in 1779. However, the rufous hornero was first scientifically described, as ''Merops rufus'', by the German naturalist
Johann Friedrich Gmelin
Johann Friedrich Gmelin (8 August 1748 – 1 November 1804) was a German natural history, naturalist, chemist, botanist, entomologist, herpetologist, and malacologist.
Education
Johann Friedrich Gmelin was born as the eldest son of Philipp F ...
in the 13th edition of ''
Systema Naturae
' (originally in Latin written ' with the Orthographic ligature, ligature æ) is one of the major works of the Sweden, Swedish botanist, zoologist and physician Carl Linnaeus (1707–1778) and introduced the Linnaean taxonomy. Although the syste ...
'' published in 1788.
In 1816,
Louis Pierre Vieillot
Louis Pierre Vieillot (10 May 1748, Yvetot – 24 August 1830, Sotteville-lès-Rouen) was a French ornithologist.
Vieillot is the author of the first scientific descriptions and Linnaean names of a number of birds, including species he collected ...
established the genus ''
Furnarius'' in his ''Analyse d'une nouvelle ornithologie élémentaire'' and included the rufous hornero on it, although Vieillot did not directly rename the rufous hornero as ''Furnarius rufus''. Its current
scientific name
In Taxonomy (biology), taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, both of which use Latin gramm ...
was used for the first time in ornithology by
John Gould
John Gould (; 14 September 1804 – 3 February 1881) was an English ornithologist who published monographs on birds, illustrated by plates produced by his wife, Elizabeth Gould (illustrator), Elizabeth Gould, and several other artists, includ ...
in his ''
Zoology of the Voyage of H.M.S. Beagle
''The Zoology of the Voyage of H.M.S. Beagle Under the Command of Captain Fitzroy, R.N., during the Years 1832 to 1836'' is a 5-part book published unbound in nineteen numbers as they were ready, between February 1838 and October 1843. It was writ ...
'' in 1841.
Nowadays the rufous hornero integrates the genus ''Furnarius'' with the other five species. They are all native to
South America
South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a considerably smaller portion in the Northern Hemisphere. It can also be described as the southern Subregion#Americas, subregion o ...
and build mud nests that resemble old wood-fired ovens. Its closest relative is the
crested hornero
The crested hornero (''Furnarius cristatus'') is a species of bird in the Furnariinae subfamily of the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, and Paraguay.
Taxonomy and systematics
The crested hornero is most closely ...
, which is considered its
sister species
In phylogenetics, a sister group or sister taxon, also called an adelphotaxon, comprises the closest relative(s) of another given unit in an evolutionary tree.
Definition
The expression is most easily illustrated by a cladogram:
Taxon A and ...
due to similar behavior and plumage pattern.
The derivation of the current genus name, ''Furnarius'', is from the
Latin
Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...
''furnus'', meaning "an oven". The Spanish word "hornero" similarly comes from horno, meaning "oven". Its
specific epithet
In Taxonomy (biology), taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, both of which use Latin gramm ...
comes from the
Latin
Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...
''rufum'', meaning "red" or "reddish". It is also known as the red ovenbird.
Four subspecies are recognized based on plumage and size:
* ''F. r. commersoni''
Pelzeln, 1868 – central, east, Bolivia, southwest Brazil and northwest Argentina
* ''F. r. paraguayae''
Cherrie
Cherrie is both a surname and a given name. Notable people with the name include:
*George Kruck Cherrie (1865–1948), American naturalist and explorer
* Peter Cherrie (born 1983), Scottish football goalkeeper
* Cherrie Ying (born 1983), actress
* ...
&
Reichenberger, 1921 – Paraguay and north Argentina
* ''F. r. rufus'' (
Gmelin, JF, 1788) – southeast Brazil, Uruguay to central Argentina
* ''F. r. albogularis'' (
Spix
Johann Baptist Ritter von Spix (9 February 1781 – 13 March 1826) was a German natural history, biologist. From his expedition to Brazil, he brought to Germany a large variety of specimens of plants, insects, mammals, birds, amphibians and fish. ...
, 1824) – east Brazil
Description

The rufous hornero is a medium-sized
ovenbird
The ovenbird (''Seiurus aurocapilla'') is a small songbird of the New World warbler family (biology), family (Parulidae). This bird migration, migratory bird breeds in eastern North America and winters in Central America, many List of Caribbean ...
at 18 to 20 centimetres (7–8 in) and 31 to 58 grams (1.1–2.05 oz), with males being heavier. It has a slender and slightly decurved
bill
Bill(s) may refer to:
Common meanings
* Banknote, paper cash (especially in the United States)
* Bill (law), a proposed law put before a legislature
* Invoice, commercial document issued by a seller to a buyer
* Bill, a bird or animal's beak
Pl ...
suited to eating insects, which is horn-coloured with a length of 2.5 centimetres (1.0 in). Wings length is 10.2 centimetres (4 in), with males generally being larger. The tail is short at 7.1 centimetres (2.8 in). The measurements of the species may differ due to the
Bergmann's rule
Bergmann's rule is an ecogeographical rule that states that, within a broadly distributed taxonomic clade, populations and species of larger size are found in colder environments, while populations and species of smaller size are found in warmer ...
. The sexes have similar plumage. It has a rufous-brown back and pale buffy brown underparts. Its wings are pale brown except for the flight feathers which are blackish with cinnamon wingbars.
Behaviour and ecology
Breeding
The rufous hornero breeds in the
austral summer
Summer or summertime is the hottest and brightest of the four temperate seasons, occurring after spring and before autumn. At or centred on the summer solstice, daylight hours are the longest and darkness hours are the shortest, with day ...
, laying eggs between August and December, raising nestlings soon after, and the young may stay in their natal territory until the following breeding season. The species is
monogamous
Monogamy ( ) is a relationship of two individuals in which they form a mutual and exclusive intimate partnership. Having only one partner at any one time, whether for life or serial monogamy, contrasts with various forms of non-monogamy (e.g. ...
and the pair bond is long-term, sometimes for life. The nest of the species is typical for the genus, a large thick clay "oven" placed on a tree, or man-made structures such as fence posts, telephone poles, or buildings. Pairs remain together throughout the year and will work on the nest during that time; nests can be constructed in as little as 5 days but usually take longer, occasionally months, to complete. A clutch generally contains two to four eggs. The eggs are laid every second day and incubated for 14–18 days. Chicks are fed for 23–26 days before
fledging
Fledging is the stage in a flying animal's life between hatching or birth and becoming capable of flight.
This term is most frequently applied to birds, but is also used for bats. For altricial birds, those that spend more time in vulnerable c ...
; young birds remain in the parental territory for around 6 months after fledging and sometimes until the following breeding season. Both parents incubate eggs and feed the young. Horneros may or may not reuse nests, therefore it is quite common to see several nests close to each other (or even atop older nests) at the same nesting site. However, a formerly unused nest may be repaired for a new breeding season.
Threats
Predators of adult and young rufous horneros include birds of prey such as the black-chested buzzard-eagle ''
Buteo melanoleucus'', small mammals, domestic cats, and a number of species of snakes and possibly lizards. However, its covered nest probably reduces predation risk.
Status
The rufous hornero has benefited from human changes to the environment and many live in highly modified habitats, such as city suburbs. In turn, abandoned hornero nests may be of benefit to various other species of birds that nest in its unused "ovens". The
saffron finch
The saffron finch (''Sicalis flaveola'') is a tanager from South America that is common in open and semi-open areas in lowlands outside the Amazon Basin. They have a wide distribution in Colombia, northern Venezuela (where it is called "canari ...
is one species that commonly nests in old ovenbird nests. The rufous hornero is a familiar sight over much of its range and has been adopted as a
national bird
This is a list of national birds, including official birds of overseas territories and other states described as nations. Most species in the list are officially designated. Some species hold only an "unofficial" status. The column is marked a ...
of
Argentina
Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...
.
It is not threatened by human activities and is listed as
least concern
A least-concern species is a species that has been evaluated and categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as not being a focus of wildlife conservation because the specific species is still plentiful in the wil ...
by the
IUCN
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natural resources. Founded in 1948, IUCN has become the global authority on the status ...
.
Rufous hornero (Red ovenbird)(Furnarius rufus) and nest.JPG, building nest
The Pantanal
The Pantanal () is a natural region encompassing the world's largest tropical wetland area, and the world's largest Flooded grasslands and savannas, flooded grasslands. It is located mostly within the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul, but i ...
, Brazil
Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
Rufous hornero (Red ovenbird)(Furnarius rufus) and nest (2).JPG, outside completed nest
The Pantanal
The Pantanal () is a natural region encompassing the world's largest tropical wetland area, and the world's largest Flooded grasslands and savannas, flooded grasslands. It is located mostly within the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul, but i ...
, Brazil
Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
Furnarius rufus head.jpg, Details of head
Furnarius rufus skull 1881.jpg, Skull
References
Sources
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*Fraga, R.M. 1980. "The Breeding of Rufous Horneros (Furnarius rufus)" Condor, 82:58-68.
*Remsen, V. (2003) ''Family Furnariidae (Ovenbirds)''. in del Hoyo J., Elliott A. & Christie D.A. (2003) ''Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 8. Broadbills to Tapaculos'' Lynx Edicions, Barcelona
*Rodrigues, M. N., Roper, J.J., (2011) "An experimental test of the benefits of hatching asynchrony in the Rufous Hornero (Furnarius rufus)" Revista Brasileira de Ornitologia, 19:17-21.
*Roper, J. J. (2005). Sexually distinct songs in the duet of the sexually monomorphic Rufous Hornero. "Journal of Field Ornithology, 76: 234-236."
External links
Rufous hornero videoson the Internet Bird Collection
* (for
Argentina
Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...
,
Brazil
Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
,
Uruguay
Uruguay, officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast, while bordering the Río de la Plata to the south and the A ...
)
Rufous hornero photo galleryVIREO
National animal of argentinabirdfinders–"Brazil Photos"
{{Taxonbar, from=Q852731
Furnarius
Birds of South America
Birds of Argentina
Birds of Brazil
Birds of Paraguay
Birds of Uruguay
Birds of Bolivia
Birds of the Cerrado
Birds of the Pantanal
Birds of the Caatinga
National symbols of Argentina
Birds described in 1788
Taxa named by Johann Friedrich Gmelin