Milvago chimango

The Chimango ( Milvago chimango ), also called Caracara chimango , tiuque and chiuque , is a bird raptor originating in the South America. One finds it in Argentine, with the Chile and in Uruguay, arriving until in Bolivia, with the Paraguay and the extreme south of the Brésil during winter displacements. It is a sedentary animal having a great capacity of adaptation.

It is in any type of ground where the vegetation is not too high, from the coast to the plains, but also in wood deprived of secondary vegetation. It is present at the lower part of an altitude of more or less 1.000 meters.

It nidifie separately or in colonies. It starts to lay in September, October being the month of greater production. It shows a preference to build the nest on plants getting a certain protection against the intense rain and heats. The height of this vegetation, its type and its localization do not have apparently importance. The brood consists of two to three eggs. Incubation lasts 26 to 32 days. After five weeks, the chicks leave the nest. The two sexes share the responsibilities for the nest: construction, defense, incubation and food of chicks.

Food

It is a raptor eminently vulture, although it attacks any animal which it sees wounded or in difficulty, including the sheep and even the horses. Opportunist, it uses the force of the group to attack any prey.

Description

The females are slightly taller than the males, weighing a few 300 grams. the weight of the males is hardly lower, 290 grams. Its length is from 37 to 43 cm.

It differs from sound " parent" the Chimachimá in what its plumage is especially châtain with clearer fringes. The lower part of the wings shows certain tonalities châtain with obscure marks.

Subspecies

Milvago chimango chimango : Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Bolivia, north and center of the Chile, north and center of the Argentinian . The plumage is clearer.
Milvago chimango temucoensis : South of the Chile, south of the Argentinian , until the Cape Horn. The plumage is definitely darker. Lines or more marked spots of the plumage.

External bonds

Random links: