Strange Tails
We're delighted to have a strong population of strange-tailed tyrants at the reserve. So much so that we've adopted these beautiful and endangered birds as the symbol of the Trust
The growing diversity of the animals of Reserva Don Luis is a fresh source of delight every time we return. We don't play favourites, but it's impossible not to engage more with some of our more conspicuous guests. One of these is the strange-tailed tyrant. The male is stoic in his tolerance of one of nature's strangest - and it would seem least practical - adaptations. He's willing to suffer to be beautiful, and somehow manages to fly with tail feathers that were surely designed for a bird three times his size.
We love his perseverance; his resolution to succeed against challenge, and his ability to prove that anything is possible. He's appearing in growing numbers on the Reserva Do Luis, and his success has become an allegory for, and a symbol of, our own.
When we started the process of updating and redesigning our website, we wanted to adopt an image that symbolised our aims and our challenges. This brave little flycatcher, with his indomitable character, was the perfect choice.
The logo is a stylised profile of a male tyrant, silhouetted against the sunrise. We coloured the sun the blue of the Argentinian flag in honour of this country's beauty, its climate and the breathtaking span of magnificent animals that it nurtures.
Bat Research
Our bat team is conducting bat research both in the Ibera Marshes and in other provinces. We are especially concentrating on Misiones at the moment where we find the largest bat in Argentina, Chrotopterus auriitus and Myotis ruber, two species that we are researching.
Saffron-cowled Blackbird
Xanthopsar flavus
The Saffron-cowled Blackbird is very rare in the Ibera Marshes but we know a reserve, Estancia Virocay, which is about an hours dirve away which does have these lovely birds. They tend to mix in with the flocks of Yellow-rumped Marshbirds and like to graze on grass seeds but also be near to water. This species is considered VU (vulnerable) in the IUCN redlist.
We do not yet have this species at our reserve but would be interested in any project to reintroduce it.
It measures about 20cm and is a member of the Icteridae family. It has a bright yellow head, belly and all underparts although the colour tends to be more golden on the upper chest. It has a long pointed black bill with black lores, with black nape and upperparts.
The female is less brightly coloured with brown upperparts, brown/yellow head and lacks the noticeable black nape.