A species native to the three border countries, the joão-de-barro (Furnarius rufus) has gained fame for its dexterity as a builder. In urban environments, its nests are found in places such as high tree branches and lamp posts.
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In the new edition of the É da Vida segment, environmentalist Francisco Amarilla caught a pair of this species in the process of building their nest. As seen in detail in the video below, the bird uses crushed clay to build the walls, which become very resistant.
Amarilla also mentions a common myth about the ovenbird: that the male “walls up” the female inside the nest to prevent betrayal. “It remains a myth. Science has never proven that this is true,” he explains.
In Argentina, where the ovenbird is popularly known as baker, the bird has been included in the list of symbols of the country since 1928. More recently, the animal has appeared on the P$1.000 bill, which is currently equivalent to around R$5.
Also, the Spanish name (baker) refers to the shape of clay ovens common in countries such as Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay.
On the other hand, Guarani mythology tells that the joão-de-barro arose from a forbidden love, the kind that fuels the creation of legends.
According to the oral story, the young Kuairúi wanted to marry the warrior Tiantiá, but the girl's father vetoed the relationship. The reason? Tiantiá didn't know how to build his own hut. Transformed into birds, the two help each other with the task.
Produced by H2FOZ, the É da Vida program has the support of Bird Park. Presentation: Francisco Amarilla. Images and editing: Marcos Labanca. Distribution on digital platforms: Claudio Siqueira.
