Brazilian moorhens - a laughing matter

When I first visited Brazil over five years ago, I soon became aware of how different the long 'cackling' calls of the local race of Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus galeata are compared to the familiar short calls of nominate G. c. chloropus back in the UK. A closer look at these birds also revealed that they look a little different too, being slightly bigger with a larger red shield with a broad square top edge, giving the head profile a peak at the front of the crown. With the recent taxonomic scrutiny of moorhens focusing on the variation between Old World and New World forms, much has been written about the morphological differences between the North American race G. c. cachinnans and Old World chloropus, that might allow a transatlantic vagrant to be identified. Adult cachinnans, in addition to the features above, tend to show a different bill pattern with less extensive yellow on the lower mandible and a more clearly defined red/yellow border, a duller red iris and richer reddish-brown upperparts, particularly on the upper mantle where there is a more clearly demarcated contrast with the dark grey neck (see here and here). Immature birds are much more similar and possibly indistinguishable in the field?

In July, the AOU (but so far not the BOU) decided to split all New World forms from Old World chloropus as Common Gallinule (in favour of the name Laughing Moorhen suggested by The Sound Approach). However, it is galeata, the most widespread form across South America, that has been designated the nominate race rather than cachinnans. I'd like to know what features distinguish these two races? As far as I can tell they are vocally inseparable (compare the calls of galeata and cachinnans here and chloropus here), but I've observed that galeata does appear to be much greyer on the upperparts than both Old World chloropus and North American cachinnans, with brown tones restricted to the lower mantle, rump, greater coverts and flight feathers (compare below), and perhaps they are also a little darker overall. Are there other differences?

Former race G. c. galeata, now split by the AOU as Common Gallinule Gallinula
galeata, REGUA, Brazil, November 2011. Note the large, square-topped shield, the
well defined lower mandible pattern and the dark eye. galeata seem to have much
greyer upperparts than both North American cachinnans and Old World chloropus.

Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus, London Wetland Centre, UK, December
2011. Note the smaller, narrower shield with a rounded top, slightly more extensive
yellow on the lower mandible with a slightly less demarcated pattern, brighter red
iris and browner upperparts (click to enlarge). North American cachinnans is
apparently even browner above.

At REGUA, galeata also exhibit some differences in behaviour compared to the Old World Common Moorhen. Here the birds seem to be more social, forming large flocks throughout the year, often containing 40 or so individuals that feed and rest together. They also appear to be more aquatic in their feeding habits, preferring to forage in open and often quite deep water, picking plant material from the surface, and feed much less frequently on land than Common Moorhen do in the UK, where bird seem to prefer to graze on grass. Has anyone noticed a similar feeding behaviour in cachinnans, or in any other race? For some excellent footage by Ron Jackson showing the behaviour, calls and features of galeata at REGUA, click here.

A typical feeding group of Common Gallinule Gallinula galeata, REGUA, July
2011. Based on observations at REGUA, Brazilian birds are seemingly much
less terrestrial in their feeding habits than their Old World counterparts?

Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus London Wetland Centre, UK, December
2011. Birds in the UK seem to prefer grazing on land.

So is the situation as straightforward as separating New World from Old World moorhens? Looking at photos, meridionalis from sub-Saharan Africa and St. Helena in the mid South Atlantic (here), orientalis of south-east Asia (here), and pyrrhorrhoa from Madagascar and surrounding islands (here), all look very similar to galeata to me, with perhaps a very slightly more rounded top to the shield. Have these been allied to Common Moorhen or Common Gallinule, and are they also different species?

Winter at the London Wetland Centre

A quiet afternoon with cold north-westerlies produced 2 drake Pintail, 5 Shelduck, 56 Wigeon, 5 Pochard, 30 Gadwall, 1 Water Rail, 17+ Common Snipe, 15+ Lapwing, 2-3 Stonechat, 15+ Lesser Redpoll, 14+ Siskin and 5 Redwing. Good numbers of Great Tit and Blue Tit were seen, but 4 Long-tailed Tit, 3 Robin, a few Blackbird were the only other passerines of note. Many of the smaller pools are partially frozen and although there were plenty of Teal around there seemed to be less wildfowl than usual, with just small numbers of Northern Shoveler and Tufted Duck. There was also a pair of Mandarin on the Main Lake, which I guess could be from the collection?

Staines Bore

A couple of hours at Staines Moor produced almost bugger all, with 1 Water Pipit (terrible photo below) associating with a lone Meadow Pipit and a Pied Wagtail along the Colne, 17+ Fieldfare, 15 Linnet and a Reed Bunting being about it. Also, 80+ Linnet were kicking about on adjacent Stanwell Moor.

Papercourt Short-eared Owls

A brief visit to Thursley Common today found no sign of the Great Grey Shrike, or much else for that matter, with only 10 Lesser Redpoll, 2 Stonechat and a few Meadow Pipits seen. Mid afternoon I found myself back at Papercourt water meadows for some more owl action (I can't believe how many people were out to watch them! Around 50 or so!). At least 4 Short-eared Owls put on a fantastic display, hunting over the rough grass, being mobbed by 2 Kestrels and Carrion Crows, and occasionally even fighting and calling right overhead! This time I managed a few rubbish photos. 1 Barn Owl, 1 Stonechat and a Roe Deer were also seen.

There's been a large influx of Short-eared Owls into the UK this autumn, see here.

Two of my favourite birds together in Surrey

Surrey is not the best place in the world for birds (what an understatement!), and it's not often you get the opportunity to see two of your favourite birds in the world, in Surrey, at the same place, and on the same day. Therefore I couldn't resist a quick visit to Papercourt water meadows this afternoon to give it a shot. Just a few minutes after arrival I caught sight of the unmistakable deep wing beats of a Short-eared Owl in the distance, and after a few minutes I realised there were actually 3 birds hunting over the rough grass. They showed fairly well but unfortunately stayed a little distant and I didn't manage a single half decent photo! One down, one to go, but I didn't have to wait too long before a Barn Owl appeared quartering the fields. Simply amazing birds! I never tire of watching Short-eareds or Barn Owls! Also seen were c.100 Siskin, c.50 Fieldfare and a single Redwing. I must make a return visit to try and get a few snaps!

Overcoming euphonia phobia

Euphonias are a genus of small short tailed passerines found throughout the Neotropics, which together with the chlorophonias, comprise the subfamily Euphoniinae. Showing a higher degree of sexual dimorphism than their chlorophonia cousins, male euphonias of most species are brightly coloured, distinctively marked and generally fairly easy to identify. The females on the other hand are mainly dull olive-green with various amounts of grey, and their similarity, along with often poor illustrations in field guides, means that unless they call many birders simply don't bother with them. Six species of euphonia occur regularly in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest and at first glance the females of all but one of these, Golden-rumped Euphonia, are fairly similar in appearance. However, given good views and knowing what to look for, separating them is not too difficult.

The most common species in the Atlantic Forest is Violaceous Euphonia. The female (Fig. 1 & 2) is uniform olive-green above and below with dark grey inner webs to the primaries, tertials, medium and greater coverts. This is the only euphonia in this group with no grey on the underparts (note that female Golden-rumped also has olive-green underparts, but is easily distinguished - see here).

Perhaps the most distinctive is female Chestnut-bellied Euphonia (Fig. 3 & 4). The upperparts, flanks, ear coverts, chin and forehead are a rich yellow-green and it is the only species with red undertail coverts and vent. The grey center to the breast and upper belly extends onto the neck sides to form a half collar that is separated from the grey nape by green ear coverts.

Click to enlarge

Female Purple-throated Euphonia (Fig. 5 & 6) is also distinctive, once you get your eye in. The general jizz is of a paler but more contrasty bird, with the colours on the upperparts often looking rather washed out. The upperparts are mainly pale olive-green becoming greyer on the mantle, nape and crown, and contrast sharply with the bright lemon yellow flanks, vent and undertail coverts. The breast and belly are pale grey (sometimes almost white) which set off the dark grey legs. The head pattern is also rather distinctive, with dark grey or black lores (meeting across the top of the bill) and faint narrow black eyestripe behind the eye, contrasting with a bright yellow forehead and hint of a yellow supercilium before the eye. The bill is a little longer and more conical than the other species, with a blackish distal half (more so on the upper mandible), and at close range the split white eye-ring is diagnostic. The blackish upper tail, and inner webs to the tertials and inner primaries add further contrast to the upperparts.

The two most similar of the set are Orange-bellied Euphonia and Green-chinned Euphonia. The females of both are olive-green above, pale grey below with olive-yellow flanks extending onto the undertail coverts. Orange-bellied Euphonia (Fig. 7 & 8) is polymorphic, but the form in the Atlantic Forest has a grey nape that stretches around the neck forming a very diffuse grey collar. In comparison, Green-chinned (Fig. 9 & 10) shows obvious grey neck sides extending onto the ear coverts, an olive-green nape and dark grey lores. Structurally, Green-chinned is a heavier looking bird with a noticeably thick bill, compared to Orange-bellied that has a small and rather delicate looking bill.

Acknowledgments

Many thanks to Leonardo Pimentel for permission to use his photos of Green-chinned Euphonia.

A bird in the bush is worth two in the cage

The trapping and trading of wild birds has been illegal in Brazil since the Fauna Protection Law was introduced in 1967, but like across much of the country, hunting wild birds in the Atlantic Forest for the cage-bird trade remains commonplace and a major threat to many species, several of which are classified as Threatened. Many of the birds trapped are destined for the international black market, however, in Rio de Janeiro state, as in many parts of Brazil, keeping native species as cage-birds is very popular within the local community, and cages containing trapped wild birds can be found hanging outside homes, bars, shops, and especially barbers, everywhere. In Cachoeiras de Macacu, a small town about 21 km from REGUA, rows of cages of all shapes and sizes can be found for sale outside several shops, indicating just how popular cage-birds are, and bizarrely, you can even sometimes see people taking their caged birds for a 'walk'.

Green-winged Saltator in a cage outside a shop in Cachoeiras de Macacu in Rio
de Janeiro state. This high altitude species is commonly kept as a cage-bird despite
legislation in place to protect them, and most are trapped locally.

Rows of bird cages for sale in Cachoeiras de Macacu, a small town near REGUA
in Rio de Janeiro state. Most cage-birds in RJ state are native species caught
from the wild and sold in illegal markets. The quantity of cages for sale indicates
just how popular keeping cage-birds remains in the local community.

Captive Blue-bellied Parrot at a small rural property near REGUA. This Atlantic
Forest endemic is one of the more unusual species seen as a cage-bird in the
area. Although trapping places some pressure on this species, habitat loss is
a far more serious threat. Blue-bellied Parrot is classified as Near Threatened.
(Photo by Alan Martin)

In the REGUA area, the most common method employed by hunters to trap birds for the cage-bird trade is to use a captive bird placed next to an empty cage baited with food to attract the targeted species. The unsuspecting bird enters the cage to get to the food and becomes trapped. Birds are then transported for sale in illegals markets in local towns or Rio de Janeiro, often in huge quantities. Hunting is therefore an easy and inexpensive way to make money, and with demand remaining high and some local authorities turning a blind eye, it is difficult to imagine this threat going away any time soon. However, the enforcement wing of the Brazilian Ministry of the Environment IBAMA (Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources), INEA (RJ state government authorities), with help from the Brazilian NGO Renctas, are having some success tackling illegal hunting and trade, but the scale of the problem means that resources are nowhere near enough to enforce the law effectively.

Although rather drab in plumage by neotropical standards, seedeaters are particularly sought after as cage-birds for their songs, and in the REGUA area male Buffy-fronted and Double-collared Seedeaters are common in cages. Another species very commonly kept as a cage-bird in the area is Green-winged Saltator, and they can frequently be heard singing from apartments and shops in the nearby towns. Thrushes, especially Rufous-bellied Thrush, are also very popular as are Saffron Finch and Bare-throated Bellbird, and Temminck's Seedeater are also sometimes kept.

Double-collared Seedeater is one of the most common seedeaters in southern
South America, with a very large range. Preferring semi-open country, including
agricultural land, deforestation together with the spread of exotic grasses
has helped the population increase and although they are one of the most
popular cage-birds in Brazil, they are not considered threatened.

Male Buffy-fronted Seedeater. A nomadic bamboo specialist, this Atlantic Forest
endemic is heavily targeted by the cage-bird trade for its loud song, and large
numbers are often sold illegally in Rio de Janeiro. Adding to this problem,
deforestation has reduced their bamboo habitat and extended the length of time
between large scale scale bamboo flowerings, which in turn affects breeding.
Buffy-fronted Seedeater is classified as Vulnerable. (Photo by Leonardo Pimentel)

Rufous-bellied Thrush, the national bird of Brazil since 2002, is highly sough after
as a cage-bird for its song, and very popular in the REGUA area.

Another popular cage-bird, male Saffron Finches are very territorial and sometimes
used for blood sports, with two males placed in a cage to fight. This barbaric
practice was banned in Brazil 20 years ago, but has recently been reported from
the US.

Immature male Bare-throated Bellbird. Endemic to the Atlantic Forest, this cotinga
is under pressure from the cage-bird trade for its unmusical but extremely loud
song. They are relatively uncommon in cages in the REGUA area due to policing
by IBAMA, and a local in the village of Mutumbo near REGUA had four birds
confiscated by IBAMA during my visit this month. Trapping pressure is much
higher in other states such as southern Bahia, São Paulo and Santa Catarinam,
and they remain relatively common in the forest of Rio de Janeiro state. Also
threatened by deforestation, Bell-throated Bellbird is classified as Vulnerable.
(Photo by Tasso Leventis)

Key to addressing this problem is a change in local attitudes towards biodiversity, and as is so often the case, small NGOs are making more progress with this than government legislation or the authorities. REGUA is one of the few protected areas in the Atlantic Forest employing local people, mostly ex-hunters, as rangers to patrol the reserve. As a result, since 2001 hunting at REGUA has declined by an estimated 98%! Obviously some hunting activity would simply have been displaced onto adjacent land, so perhaps even more importantly, REGUA has been helping to slowly change local attitudes towards the forest and it's wildlife. REGUA's education programme teaches local school children about the Atlantic Forest and it's wildlife is unique and therefore in need of preserving. REGUA is now the second largest employer in the local area, with 30 full-time staff (and more employed during the tree planting season), many of whom are involved in wildlife tourism to the reserve. By providing employment REGUA is demonstrating that the Atlantic Forest and its wildlife, traditionally viewed as worthless and to be exploited, can provide a sustainable source of income if conserved and respected.

Culturally, there's been a shift away from hunting towards the observation of wild birds amongst wealthier Brazilians. Birding has grown rapidly in popularity in Brazil over the last few years, with increasing numbers of young men and, refreshingly, women, becoming interested in birds, often through photography (take a look at the excellent WikiAves website). Brazil now has it's own bird fair (Avistarbrasil), and in contrast to when I first visited REGUA five years ago, there doesn't seem to be a week that goes by without several Brazilian birders visiting the reserve, with the active Rio de Janeiro Birdwatchers' Club also making regular visits. Earlier this year some Brazilian birders even found themselves twitching when a flock of ultra rare Brown-backed Parrotlets turned up in Ubatuba.

In addition, REGUA's Raquel Locke also reports that computer games appear to be replacing hunting as a pastime amongst the local young men. I wonder how long it will be before Ultimate Bellbird Hunting becomes available on the Wii?

Acknowledgments

Many thanks to Adilei Carvalho da Cunha for providing information on the bird species targeted by hunters and the methods of capture, to Nicholas and Raquel Locke for additional information about trapping and trafficking, and to Tasso Leventis, Alan Martin and Leonardo Pimentel for permission to use their photos.

Read more about the problem of illegal wildlife trafficking in Brazil here.