Bare-throated Bellbird
Encyclopedia
The Bare-throated Bellbird (Procnias nudicollis) is a species of bird
in the Cotingidae family. It is found in Argentina
, Brazil
, and Paraguay
.
Its natural habitat
s are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest
s and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.
It is threatened by habitat loss and by poaching
for cage birds. It raises the attraction of collectors because of the adult males's showy coloration (shiny white with the skin of the throth bare and turquoise blue; the female, as well as both sexes juveniles, are mostly light or olive green with a black head) and call - a sharp sound like that of a hammer
striking an anvil
or a bell
, emitted by the male in the wild while it perches on a high branch in order to attract a mate. A fruit-eating species, it acts in the ecology of the Atlantic rainforest as a dispersor of seeds. Despite its vulnerable status, it can be found in an unusual urban setting, a juvenile male having recently (2007) been photographed foraging in one of the campuses of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro set in an artificial island in the vicinity of the heavily polluted Guanabara Bay
; another specimen had already been spotted in 2005 at the Ibirapuera Park in São Paulo
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
in the Cotingidae family. It is found in Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, and Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
.
Its natural habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
s are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
s and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.
It is threatened by habitat loss and by poaching
Poaching
Poaching is the illegal taking of wild plants or animals contrary to local and international conservation and wildlife management laws. Violations of hunting laws and regulations are normally punishable by law and, collectively, such violations are known as poaching.It may be illegal and in...
for cage birds. It raises the attraction of collectors because of the adult males's showy coloration (shiny white with the skin of the throth bare and turquoise blue; the female, as well as both sexes juveniles, are mostly light or olive green with a black head) and call - a sharp sound like that of a hammer
Hammer
A hammer is a tool meant to deliver an impact to an object. The most common uses are for driving nails, fitting parts, forging metal and breaking up objects. Hammers are often designed for a specific purpose, and vary widely in their shape and structure. The usual features are a handle and a head,...
striking an anvil
Anvil
An anvil is a basic tool, a block with a hard surface on which another object is struck. The inertia of the anvil allows the energy of the striking tool to be transferred to the work piece. In most cases the anvil is used as a forging tool...
or a bell
Bell (instrument)
A bell is a simple sound-making device. The bell is a percussion instrument and an idiophone. Its form is usually a hollow, cup-shaped object, which resonates upon being struck...
, emitted by the male in the wild while it perches on a high branch in order to attract a mate. A fruit-eating species, it acts in the ecology of the Atlantic rainforest as a dispersor of seeds. Despite its vulnerable status, it can be found in an unusual urban setting, a juvenile male having recently (2007) been photographed foraging in one of the campuses of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro set in an artificial island in the vicinity of the heavily polluted Guanabara Bay
Guanabara Bay
Guanabara Bay is an oceanic bay located in southeastern Brazil in the state of Rio de Janeiro. On its western shore lies the city of Rio de Janeiro, and on its eastern shore the cities of Niterói and São Gonçalo. Four other municipalities surround the bay's shores...
; another specimen had already been spotted in 2005 at the Ibirapuera Park in São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
Further reading
- Snow, D.W. (1982). The Cotingas: Bellbirds, Umbrella birds and their allies. British Museum Press. ISBN 0-19-858511-X