The pale-legged hornero is a species of bird in the Furnariinae subfamily of the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Guyana, and Peru.
Region
Amazon Basin and northern South America
Typical Environment
Found primarily along major rivers and floodplains in lowland Amazonia, including river islands, sandbars, and young secondary growth. Occupies edges of várzea forest, shrubby thickets, and open rural areas, often near water. Frequently seen around settlements, pastures, and roadsides where suitable open ground and perches occur. It tolerates disturbed habitats and can thrive in mosaic landscapes created by seasonal flooding.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 800 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
This hornero gets its name from its pale legs and the distinctive oven-like mud nest it builds on branches, fence posts, or human structures. It is a ground-foraging ovenbird of riverine and open habitats across the Amazon Basin. Formerly lumped with the Pacific Hornero, it is now treated as a separate species. Pairs often perform loud duets while defending territories near their mud nests.
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
short, undulating flight with rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Usually found in pairs that maintain year-round territories. Both sexes cooperate to build a domed mud “oven” nest with a side entrance, often reused or rebuilt each season. Nests are placed on branches, stumps, or man-made structures, and pairs vigorously defend them with displays and duets.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A loud, ringing series of accelerating notes delivered as a duet by the pair. Calls are sharp chips and rattling trills, often given from an exposed perch near the nest.
