The rufous hornero (Furnarius rufus) is a medium-sized ovenbird native to South America. Four subspecies are recognised across Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina. It was first scientifically described by Johann Friedrich Gmelin in 1788, and later placed in the genus Furnarius by Louis Pierre Vieillot. Its closest relative is the crested hornero. The species has benefited from human modification of the environment, and abandoned mud "oven" nests are often reused by other birds, including the saffron finch. It is Argentina's national bird, and is classified as a least-concern species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. This photograph shows a rufous hornero in its nest near Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay.

Photograph credit: Charles J. Sharp