Andean bearded bird
| Andean bearded bird | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Andean bearded bird, male |
||||||||||
| Systematics | ||||||||||
|
||||||||||
| Scientific name | ||||||||||
| Eubucco bourcierii | ||||||||||
| ( Lafresnaye , 1845) |
The Andean bearded bird ( Eubucco bourcierii ), also known as the red-headed bearded bird , is a species of the American bearded bird . The species occurs in Central and South America. It is a small, predominantly greenish bird with a powerful beak. The sexual dimorphism is very pronounced. Several subspecies are distinguished. The IUCN classifies the Andean bearded bird as not endangered ( least concern ).
Appearance
The males of the nominate form weigh an average of 34 grams with a body length of about 15 centimeters. The wing length is between 6.7 and 7.5 centimeters. The tail length is 4.3 to 5.4 centimeters. The beak is between 1.7 and 2.1 inches long. Females have similar body measurements.
The males of the nominate form have a red forehead, only a thin black line runs along the base of the beak. Some hair-like feathers stick out. These are also black and no longer than half the beak length. The throat and chest are also red, on the stomach the color turns yellow-orange. The lower abdomen is yellow. A narrow, white to white-blue band runs in the neck. The back is olive green. The control feathers are dark green with a bluish tinge. The spring shafts are black.
The plumage of the females differs so strongly from that of the males that they were initially described as a separate species. Their plumage is usually not red. The forehead and a narrow band below the beak are black. The sides of the head and a narrow line above the black face mask are light blue. The rest of the top of the head is greenish, an orange band runs in the neck. The top of the body is olive green, the underside of the body is yellowish.
Distribution area
The Andean bearded bird is an inhabitant of mountain forests from the middle of Costa Rica to Panama , the highlands of northern Colombia , Ecuador and northern Peru to western Venezuela . The distribution area is fragmented. In Costa Rica it occurs in the east at altitudes between 400 and 1600 meters and in the west between 800 and 2100 meters. In Panama it occurs between 575 and 1800 meters above sea level. In Colombia, however, he lives in areas between 1200 and 2400 meters above sea level. In the east of Venezuela, Andean bearded birds are found at altitudes between 1000 and 1500 meters and in Peru between 1200 and 1500 meters. The Andean bearded bird is a common bird in some regions of its range.
Habitat and way of life
The Andean bearded bird prefers the undergrowth of forests, dense shrubbery near the forest, forest edges and secondary forests in moist tropical and subtropical mountain forests as habitat . It is usually found singly, occasionally in pairs. Its diet consists mainly of fruits and berries and, to a lesser extent, insects. It is mainly sought in a tree region between two and fifteen meters high.
In Costa Rica, the breeding season falls between March and June, while in Colombia it falls between December and April. The clutch consists of two to five white-shelled eggs. Both parent birds take turns incubating the eggs during the day. During the night the female breeds alone. The incubation period is 15 days. Feed both parent birds. The nestlings fledge after 31 days.
Web links
- Eubucco bourcierii inthe IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2013.1. Listed by: BirdLife International, 2012. Retrieved October 7, 2013.
supporting documents
literature
- Lester L. Short and Jennifer FM Horne: Toucans, Barbets and Honeyguides - Ramphastidae, Capitonidae and Indicatoridae. Oxford University Press, Oxford 2001, ISBN 0-19-854666-1 .