| Austral Blackbird (Curaeus curaeus) Chilean name: Tordo |
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Chile November / December 2005 The Austral Blackbird is distributed in central and southern Chile and in south-west Argentina. It is found at the edges of southern beech Nothofagus forest and in more open areas where there are nearby trees or shrubs. |
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It is all black with a long, pointed bill. It is not shiny like the Shiny Cowbird Molothrus bonariensis but the female is duller than the male. Immatures have brownish secondaries and primaries as seen in photo 3. They are highly vocal with a pleasant song occassionally punctuated by harsher calls. |
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Photo 4 shows a very young bird probably just out of the nest. It formed part of a group of Austral Blackbirds in a small area of Nothofagus woodland at the side of the Serrano River. Photos 2, 3 and 4 were taken of some members of this group where adults and immatures all seemed to be helping to feed the youngsters. | |||
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