TICO - TICO

The hacksaw (Zonotrichia capensis) is a bird of the order Passeriformes, family Emberizidae. It is distinguished by its color burst of brown, black and gray and his forelock. It has a wide area of ​​occurrence in the Americas going from Tierra del Fuego to the south of Mexico, avoiding dense forests. In Brazil it is also known as maria-Jewish, jump-ways and jesus-my-god.
Description and taxonomy:
It is a small bird with 14 to 15 cm long. It has a short and conical beak, and the head is distinguished by having a small tuft and several black stripes against a gray background. The neck is surrounded by a reddish-brown track that goes down to the front up to chest height. The back is striped brown-red and black. The belly is grayish, with the clearest conversation. The wings have two little visible whitish lines. Young people have a duller color and less distinct color patterns. There is no obvious sexual dimorphism, but females tend to be slightly smaller than males. Its subspecies have variations that can be significant, especially in the tracks of the head and neck and color tone. Populations further south and those living higher altitudes tend to have more pointed and less rounded wings. All these differences are evident in their extremes, but are diluted in a gradual continuum between subspecies inhabiting neighboring areas.
It was first described as Fringilla capensis by Statius Müller in 1776.Frank Chapman believes that the species have originated in North America and been forced to migrate south during the glaciations. He pointed as evidence relatively little distinction between current subspecies, which would indicate a recent penetration in South America.
Occurrence and conservation:
TICO-TICO (Zonotrichia capensis)
It is present in much of South America from Tierra del Fuego, heading north on occurrence of islands to Mexico and the Caribbean islands, in areas ranging from sea level to 4,500m altitude. Habita fields, grasslands, open forests and crops borders, tolerating various types of weather. Also inhabits wooded urban areas provided they have not yet been colonized by Sparrow, which makes it intense competition and eventually expel him. It is most numerous in the southern half of South America. It commonly occurs in dense forests such as the Amazon Basin and Orinoco Basin. [1] [3] Usually is a resident species, but populations of southern Patagonia to the south of the Rio Negro are migrants. [4]
Biology:
Zonotrichia capensis
It feeds on mainly grains, but can also eat fruit, foraging on the ground or close to shrubs and macegas that offer you protection. When not foraging, can gather in large flocks that can include other species of birds. When in cities tends to feed on scraps of human food, which can make it develop diseases such as excess cholesterol and blood glucose.
It is a fertile and adaptable bird. As inhabits a vast area, their nesting habits vary by climate, generally doing the posture in association with the rainy season, but according to the characteristics of the region can nest in any part of the year. The nest is cup-shaped, built with leaves and plant fibers directly in the ground or in low bushes. Add 3 to 5 clear eggs with many dark spots.
Reference:
Wikipedia