#886: Tanager are colorful passerines of the tropics.

When I first drew a Tanager for T, I drew a Western Tanager. Some research determined that Western Tanager were not, in fact, actually Tanager at all, but more closely related to cardinals. Therefore, it has taken a bit of time to get to draw an actual Tanager - in this case the Green-headed Tanager. Yes, I know his head is actually blue...

Tanagers are small passerine birds of the New World, with most species found in the tropics of South America. Flocks are smaller, generally consisting of pairs or up to five individuals, although they may flock together with other species. He follows a predominantly insectivorous diet, with different species using different hunting techniques including hawking and gleaning. Most nests are cup-shaped, although some are almost globular. The female incubates the eggs, tended to by her mate. Several species have been show to utilise helpers in raising the chicks; these are possibly offspring from a previous brood.

#882. Zorro

The Zorro are six species of South American canids, sometimes known as the South American foxes, although they are a different Genus from the "true" foxes. This fellow is Darwin's Zorro. His range is very restricted; he is found only on Chiloé Island and in an isolated patch of Chile. There are considered to be less than 400 individuals in the wild. He lives in dense forest, hunting small vertebrates and eating fruit, and occasionally carrion.

Only one day to go and I've finished the Z's!

#859: Yarara

The Yarará is a species of pit viper found in South America. Here, he makes his home in deciduous tropical forest and open savannah. His prey consists of birds and small mammals, which he incapacitates with venom. Although he has a reputation for being deadly, and can inflict a painful & venomous bite, this is rarely fatal. Females are ovoviviparous, birthing up to 20 offspring at a time.

#858: Yapok

The Yapok is a South American marsupial, adapted for an aquatic lifestyle. Her hind feet are webbed, and her forelimbs bear hands, which help her to capture underwater prey. Both the male and female have pouches. A ring of muscle seals the female's pouch firmly shut, preventing the young from drowning, whereas the male's protects his genitalia and keep him more streamlined when swimming. During the day , the Yapok sleeps in burrows on the bank, and she comes out at dusk to forage.

If you are wondering why this image looks a little different from my usual, it's because I used a program called VectorMagic to turn her into a vectorised PNG.

Here's the original JPG:

#853: X-ray Tetra

The X-Ray Tetra is named for his translucent skin, which allows his backbone to be clearly visible. He is naturally found in the Amazon and Orinoco basins and is somewhat tolerant of brackish water.
He follows an omnivorous diet of plants and animal matter. He is generally peaceable among other species and sociable among his own. This, combined with his unique appearance, makes him popular in the pet industry. However, he is small in size and can fall prey to larger fish and amphibians.

#851: Xenops

And yes... it's another bird beginning with X. I promise you, tomorrow's critter won't be a bird. At least the Xenops doesn't feel like a cheat!

The Xenops are a Genus of ovenbirds, not to be confused with the ovenbird I drew earlier, which was actually a warbler. Anyway, these Xenops are true ovenbirds and there are three species. This fellow is the Plain Xenops. All three species are found in South America and,although their ovenbird kin  build clay nests into which to lay their eggs, the Xenops  instead fills a tree hole with shredded wood and calls that a nest. Into this she lays her eggs, and both parents help raise their offspring. Xenops are insectivores and scurry up and down tree trunks, prodding into crevices for dinner.

#802: Vicuña

The Vicuña is a member of the camelid Family. Like her cousin, the guanaco, she lives in the high alpine regions of South America. She is believed to be the ancestor of the domestic alpaca. Vicuña produce a very fine wool, perfect for keeping her warm when the high altitude temperatures reach freezing point. This wool is one of the most expensive fibres available, as wild Vicuña can only be shorn every three years. Once, hundreds were poached and killed for it.

#779: Umbrellabird

Behold, the first of several "Umbrella" pre-faced species!

The Umbrellabird are three species of cotinga, inhabiting the rainforests of  Soiuth America. This fellow is the long-wattled species. This wattle can be inflated and amplifies his booming call. Females have greatly reduced wattles. His diet is omnivorous, and he dines on lizards, insects and fruit, with a preference for palm nuts.

#775: Uakari

New Year, New U!
First U, in fact.

The Uakari are four species of New World Monkeys, of which the most well known is the Bald Uakari. He is, as you may have noticed, characterised by his completely bald head. The skin lacks pigment, and the redness is caused by the multiple capillaries running under the facial tissue. The redder the skin, the healthier the animal and the more attractive he is to potential mates. The species is susceptible to malaria, and ailing individuals are noticeably paler. His diet is almost exclusively vegetarian, with seeds making up the majority, although the occasional invertebrate is eaten. Troops are large - up to 100 individuals - with males leaving their natal group.

#764: Toucan

#761: Titi

Titi are New World Monkeys, notable for their tails, which are longer than their body. There are numerous species known, varying in colouration and size, but all sharing similar body shapes. Titi live in family groups of up to seven individuals. They maintain and defend their territory, shouting and chasing off intruders.  Partnerships are monogamous, and pairs will often sit or sleep with their tails entwined. The father takes charge of their sole offspring, bringing it to the mother for nursing.

#747: Tayra

The Tayra is a member of the mustelid Family. found in Central and South America. Her preferred habitat is forest, but she will cross grasslands at night as she moves from one forest patch to the next. She is solitary and arboreal in nature, and can traverse the forest with speed. Her long tail aids in balance and her claws are short, curved and strong. She feeds on fruit and small vertebrates, and also has a taste for honey. Tayra are easily tamed and sometimes kept as household pets to help rid a house of vermin. She does, however, pose a threat to chickens.

#740: Tamarin

The Tamarin monkeys are tiny New World monkeys, occupying different patches of Amazon rainforest. This fellow is one of the Lion Tamarins, the Golden. The other Genus lack the manes that give this genus their name. The Golden Lion is endangered due to deforestation.

#733: Sunbittern

The Sunbittern is not a bittern - her closest relative is actually thought to be the Kagu of New Caledonia. Her natural habitats are the humid subtropical forests of Central and South America. She is named for her wings, which display vivid colours during courtship or used defensively. For the most part she forages near streams and other watery areas, feeding on insects and small vertebrates. Nests are built in the canopy, with two eggs being brooded at a time. Chicks hatch covered in down, but remain in the nest for the first few weeks.

#717: Spix Macaw

The Spix Macaw is the rarest parrot in the world, being entirely extinct in the wild, with the captive population standing at around 100 birds. He is the small blue macaw made famous by the film "Rio".  Spix Macaw lived in the caatinga forest in northeastern Brazil. This is a dry forest of stunted trees, thorny shrubs and cacti (a far cry from the rainforest in "Rio") that has suffered from dramatic deforestation. The last wild macaw was sighted in 2000. With the captive population descended from only 7 birds, this species has a struggle ahead of it to survive. However, areas of the caatinga have been set aside as a reserve, with restoration in process, and the plan is to release captive-bred birds within the next 5 years. One of these captive-breeding facilities is in, of all places, Qatar, and owned by a sheik.

Here's more infomration on the Al Wabra Wildlife Preserve: http://awwp.alwabra.com/

I have also written a short story inspired by the movie "Rio" and the plight of this parrot - and the hope of it one day being released into the wild. It is called "Saving the Blue" (or possibly may be renamed to just "Saving Blue") and has not yet been released as I am contemplating seeking an anthology for it.

#716: Spider Monkey

The Spider Monkey is a New World monkey found in the tropical forests of Central and South America. It is his long limbs and tail that give him his common name. His tail is prehensile, used as an additional limb to help navigate his arboreal home. Spider Monkeys  favour a fruit diet, but also eat insects, leaves and other vegetative matter. The thumb on his hands is reduced to little more than a nub, but his fingers are long and hook-like. This allows him to move swiftly through the trees. Spider Monkeys live in troops; females often leave their birth-troop when they reach sexual maturity, but males stay.

#703: Sloth

The Sloth lives life slowly. There are six species, divided into three-toed and two-toed. Like their relatives, the Anteaters, the Sloth has highly specialised claws. These act as hooks, and will hold him onto the tree branch, even if he is shot from below. The Sloth's diet constists mostly of leaves, which are low energy and are difficult to digest - hence one reason why he is noted for being somewhat lethargic. As much as two-thirds of his body weight can be undigested food - and this can take over a month for his stomach to process. His sluggish nature also permits him to avoid predation, since he is also well camouflaged. Once a week he descends his tree to defecate in the same spot, digging a hole and covering it afterwards.

#692: Seriema

The Seriema of South America is a long-legged bird that does bear something of a superficial resemblance to yesterday's Secretarybird. His habitat is open grassland and dry woodland, where he occasionally grazes with livestock. Prey ranges from insects and other invertebrates, to small vertebrates, which are caught and beaten against the ground before being torn apart with the sickle-like claw on his second toe. At night, he roosts in trees. There are three species - this is the red-legged - and it is thought that his ancestors may have been related to the giant Terror Birds.

#685: Screamer

There are three species of Screamer, a handsome South American waterfowl. He is named for his screaming call. This is the Southern Screamer. He makes his home near water in marshes and open areas, where he grazes on water plants. Screamers bear large spurs on his wings, which are used in territorial disputes and fights over mates. These can break off during the combat, but grow back quickly. Chicks are precocial, and learn to swim upon hatching. They imprint easily on humans and are thus ammenable to domestication.

#676: Poison Dart Frog

The Golden Poison Dart Frog is one of the most deadly animals in the world. Their alkaloid toxin is derived from their diet - consisting of insects, wiht the culprit potentially being a Melyridae beetle  - and becomes concentrated in the frog's skin. Contact with one of these bright little fellows will cause nerve failure that forces the muscles to remain in a contracted state, which can lead to heart failure. The only animals capable of eating a Golden Poison Dart Frog is the golden-bellied snakelet - and even they are not completely immune. In captivity, their diet will lead to them eventually becoming harmless but the toxins can remain for years in wild caught specimens.

 It is calculated that the toxins from one frog can kill up to 20 people.

Definition: An animal is considered Venomous if it delivers the toxin to the victim via active means, such as fangs or spines. Creatures are considered Poisonous if the toxin is delivered via consumption or other less deliberate means.