Grey Monjita

Other Common Names: Viudita Gris (Uruguay).

Subspecies:

Xolmis cinerea cinera (Vieillot 1823), Found in Northwestern Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, and Paraguay.

Xolmis cinerea pepoaza (Vieillot, 1823), Found in Peru, Bolivia, and Brazil.

Description: 20 cm, with ash-gray plumage, except for the subcaudal region and throat, which are whiter. Black legs and beak, primary feathers are black with a white spot (very noticeable in flight), tail feathers are black with a white tip, red iris, and black malar.

Sexual Dimorphism: None.

Habitat: Savannahs, palm groves, shrub forests, rural areas, and populated areas, often near water.

Behavior: Perches in visible spots, but is rather shy, usually found in pairs or small groups during the breeding season.

Nesting: Builds a semi-spherical nest made of stems and straw in a fork of branches, lined with roots, feathers, and bristles. It lays up to five eggs, but the average is between 2 and 3 oval-shaped eggs, white with reddish-brown spots and speckles. This species is parasitized by the Black Cowbird (M. bonaerensis).

Feeding: Insectivorous, catches prey by making short flights and returns to its perch once it captures something (Flycatcher).

Geographical Distribution: Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, Peru, and Argentina.

Author of this description: Diego Oscar