Phalcoboenus chimango

The chimango (Phalcoboenus chimango), also called tiuque, chiuque, triuque or caracara chimango, is a species of falconiform bird of the family Falconidae native to the southern cone of South America. It is found in continental and insular Chile, Argentina and Uruguay, reaching Bolivia, Paraguay and the extreme south of Brazil. During winter movements it has been seen in the Malvinas Islands. It is a sedentary animal with a great power of adaptation.

Although controversy has been generated around its name, also called Milvago chimango, it was decided to continue with Milvago chimango.

Features

It measures 40 cm long and presents slight sexual dimorphism in adults: the female has gray legs (like the juveniles), while those of the male are yellowish. It has brownish and mottled plumage with light spots. Clearer throat, chest, abdomen, belly and cloacal area. Brown head, small light gray beak and dark brown eyes. White rump and pinkish wax. In flight you can see its characteristic light stripes on the primaries and base of the whitish tail.

It differs from its relative the chimachimá in that its plumage is mainly brown with lighter stripes. The underside of the wings show certain shades of chestnut, with dark markings.

Gregarious, social and territorial bird, the latter giving it its aggressive behavior in the face of invaders or possible threats.

Habitat

It is found in all types of terrain where the vegetation is not very high, from the coast to the plains. It is also seen in forests cleared of secondary vegetation. It is present from sea level to 1500 m s. n. m. They are commonly sighted in residential and industrial areas of Chile.

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They nest solitary and in colonies. They breed from September to December, with October being the month of greatest production. They demonstrate a preference for building the nest on some vegetation, where they have some protection from the sun and rain. Vegetation height, type and location do not appear to be important. The clutch consists of two to three eggs, although they can reach five (these with red spots). Incubation takes twenty-six to thirty-two days and after five weeks the chicks leave the nest. Both parents share all reproductive tasks: building the nest, defending and incubating the eggs and feeding the chicks.

Food

It is a hunter and its prey is usually small, from insects, slugs, worms and larvae to baby birds, rodents, small fish, shrimp and amphibians. It also has a very good scavenger diet.

Subspecies

Three subspecies of Phalcoboenus chimango are known:

• Phalcoboenus chimango chimango (Vieillot 1816) - Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Bolivia, north and center of Chile, north and center of Argentina. Clearer plumage.
• Phalcoboenus chimango temucoensis (Sclater 1918) - south of Chile, south of Argentina, migrates north in autumn. Darker plumage, lines or stains of the most pronounced plumage.
• Phalcoboenus chimango fuegiensis (Johnson and Behn 1957) - Tierra del Fuego, migrates north in autumn. This subspecies is not accepted by several authors.^{[chuckles]required]}