Scientific Classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Furnariidae
Genus: Furnarius
Species: F. leucopus
Identification
Horneros are rather soft-looking, light-brown birds known for building mud nests that resemble old wood-fired ovens. (The Spanish word “hornero” comes from horno, meaning “oven”.) The entrance forms a curved doorway to protect the chicks from intense winds and from predators. The nest contains two chambers for the 3–4 chicks.
An adult hornero can frequently be seen sitting on top of its nest. When distressed while it is inside, it forces air out under its wings to create a loud noise sounding like a cry.
Habitat
The Pale-legged Hornero is found throughout much of tropical Brazil and Peru except parts of central and eastern Amazonia. It is also found in Colombia and Venezuela near the Caribbean coast.
It likes to be near water and is fairly common in a variety of open and semi-open habitats. Usually seen singly or in pairs they are often on the ground where picking at grass or flicking aside leaves looking for food.