Other Common Names: Firecracker, Red Widow, Saca tu Real (Chile), Guirá-pitá (Guaraní), Son of the Sun, Ruby Firehead.
Subspecies: 13 subspecies.
Pyrocephalus rubinus rubinus: (Boddaert 1783). This is the ssp present in Argentina
Pyrocephalus rubinus dubius: Endemic to the Galápagos Islands
Pyrocephalus rubinus mexicanus
Pyrocephalus rubinus flammeus
Pyrocephalus rubinus blatteus
Pyrocephalus rubinus pinicola
Pyrocephalus rubinus saturatus
Pyrocephalus rubinus piurae
Pyrocephalus rubinus obscurus: In Lima, Peru
Pyrocephalus rubinus ardens
Pyrocephalus rubinus cocachacrae
Pyrocephalus rubinus major
Description: The male is very conspicuous, with a bright red fire crown, semi-crested, and ventral, with a black mask, black back and tail feathers, dark wings with light streaks. The female is brown-gray with a striated chest and a pinkish undertail. Both have black beaks and legs. Young males are similar to females, often exhibiting intermediate plumages (Kovacs et al., 2005).
Sexual Dimorphism: Very marked, easily differentiated in the field by the reddish coloration of the male and the grayish coloration of the female.
Habitat: Low forests, grasslands, areas modified by humans (very common to see on the fences of fields).
Geographic Distribution: With its 13 subspecies, it is distributed throughout America, present in Argentina, Peru, Brazil, Uruguay, Mexico, Colombia, Paraguay, Venezuela, the United States, and Chile.
Behavior: Perches in visible sites and at low heights.
Nesting: Builds a simple, cup-shaped nest with plant fibers, twigs, and feathers. Lays three cream-colored eggs with gray and reddish specks (Kovacs, et al., 2005).
Feeding: Hunts insects using the flycatching technique (elastic flight).
Author of this description: Diego Oscar
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