ovenbird

South American bird, family Furnariidae, order Passeriformes. The true ovenbirds include Furnarius rufus, the rufous ovenbird. It is so called on account of its ovenlike nest, which is a massive structure, weighing about 3.5 kg/7.5 lb and built on the bough of a tree. It is composed of mud, pieces of sticks, straw, and animal hairs. The white eggs are laid upon a bed of soft dry grass in a large chamber reached through an antechamber. The birds are monogamous, and share the duties of incubation.

Furnariidae is a large family that includes the miners, earthcreepers, cinclodes, spinetails, and canasteros, all popularly called ovenbirds.

A new species of bird in the ovenbird family was discovered in Brazil in 1997. Acrobatornis fonsecai is black and grey with pink legs. Unusually for birds of this family, its nest is made of twigs.