We had just passed Palmar Grande, a couple of miles south of Villa Montes, when Simmel, who drove the car, discovered this Red-crested finch (also called 'Red-pileated finch'). It perched in a dry tree on the other side of the pool we were scanning for waterfowl. It sat there for a while, still in the heat of the Chaco, and seemed to take a rest. I got a series of pictures, and on this one you can actually discern the red crest, which is usually held flattened, unless the bird is upset or aroused by something. The main distribution area is the Gran Chaco and Eastern Brazil but it is also found sparsely elsewhere. It forages on the ground, but what it eats is quite unknown.