About Xolmis irupero (Vieillot, 1823)
The white monjita (Xolmis irupero) measures 17 to 18 cm (6.7 to 7.1 in) in length and weighs 21 to 29.5 g (0.74 to 1.0 oz). For the nominate subspecies, adult males are almost entirely white, with black on their primaries, primary coverts, and tail tip. Females are nearly identical to males, except they have a gray tinge on the back. The subspecies X. i. niveus is slightly smaller than the nominate subspecies, and has a wider black band on its tail. Individuals of both sexes and both subspecies have a dark brown iris, a black bill, and black legs and feet. The white monjita has a disjunct distribution, with the nominate subspecies occupying by far the larger range of the two subspecies. The nominate subspecies occurs from central Bolivia south through southeastern Bolivia, Paraguay, and western Mato Grosso do Sul in Brazil, and continues south through Brazil's Rio Grande do Sul, Uruguay, and Argentina to as far as Río Negro Province. Subspecies X. i. niveus is found in northeastern Brazil, ranging from Ceará and Rio Grande do Norte south to Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo. This species lives in open and semi-open landscapes including savanna, grasslands, and pastures that have scattered bushes and trees, and it is usually found close to marshes or water. It often appears around isolated human dwellings and along roads. In most parts of its range, it occurs up to an elevation of about 1,000 m (3,300 ft), but in Bolivia it can reach 1,300 m (4,300 ft).
