Fun White Bellbird Facts For Kids

Divya Raghav
Oct 20, 2022 By Divya Raghav
Originally Published on Aug 06, 2021
Edited by Luca Demetriou
Read these interesting white bellbird facts about this bird species whose calls are the loudest

White bellbird (Procnias albus) is a medium size bird species of the Cotingdae genus. They are one of the loudest bird species to be found on the record.

The sound of their loud cry is estimated to be more than 125 dB in terms of loudness. In addition, the males of these birds produce louder sounds than females. As researched by Anselmo d'affonseca and other researchers like Cohn Haft, bellbirds' songs are estimated to be louder than Pihas.

Here on our page, we have lots of amazing facts about the white bellbird that everyone will enjoy. Let's look at these interesting facts; if you like these, do read our red kite facts and California condor facts for more.
 

White Bellbird Interesting Facts

What type of animal are the white bellbirds?

The white bellbird (Procnias albus) is a bird species from the Cotingdae family. As per the record, they can make louder calls of a close range of 125 dB. Researchers like Podos most certainly agree.

What class of animal do white bellbirds belong to?

White bellbirds are the loudest bird species to be found on record belonging to the class of Aves. A Piha is also from the bellbird species.

How many white bellbirds are there in the world?

There are no recorded surveys that tell us the population of white bellbirds. However, these birds seem to be in growth and abundance as they are widely spread in different world regions.

Where do white bellbirds live?

These bellbirds, along with the Piha and other birds, reside in high-altitude mountains. They make a screaming sound to communicate with other birds of their species. Jeff Podos has found out that both the screaming Piha and bellbirds produce loud calls. Therefore, these can be inherent traits of the family.  

What is white bellbirds' habitat?

As observed by the University of Massachusetts, this is the loudest bird found in the habitat of densely forested hills of Northern Brazil, Tobago, Southern Venezuela, Trinidad. Apart from these places, their habitat also seems to be above 3000 ft (914.4 m) in the Amazonian forests of Guinna.

Who do white bellbirds live with?

This Cotingdae genus of bellbirds lives with fascinating birds of the same species or birds like umbrella species or Piha.

How long do white bellbirds live?

There's no specific information about their lifespan, but bellbirds live for approximately eight years.

How do they reproduce?

Bellbirds use the same display perches throughout the mating season. According to researchers like Cohn Hafte, the call of the loud bird can be heard, especially from August to October.

Males on their display perches call the female birds in swinging motion for mating purposes.

After their mating process is finished, they find open trunks to build nests for hatching two to three eggs per clutch in October. You must note that male white birds leave after the eggs hatch and wait for the next year's October to mate again.

What is their conservation status?

Researchers suggest that though they are uncommonly the loudest birds found in a considerable range, their conservation status is Least Concern by the IUCN Red List.

White Bellbird Fun Facts

What does white bellbird look like?

The note and study of Cohn haft suggest that the male white bellbirds have sparse white feathers and black wattles on their beaks while females have olive green bodies with a bearded look and streaking throat. Their wingspan is unusually thick, and ranges from 5.9-6.2 in (15-15.7 cm). Only males have rattles.

How cute are they?

Researchers like Anselmo D'affonseca and Podos also certainly agree that these females and males birds are adorable looking because of their white feather and olive green look, respectively. At the same time, their loud call could also irritate you. Their songs are disliked by many.  

How do they communicate?

This loud bird can sing and make a bell-like sound while making calls to females. One can note that these calls can be heard from August to October. The male birds on their display sing for the female birds in swinging motions. The male white bird is the loudest bird and sings to females for mating purposes.

How big is white bellbird?

White bellbirds are around 11 in (28 cm) in length and approximately twice the size of fox sparrows 5.9 in (14 cm).

How fast can a white bellbird fly?

There's no data stating how fast this bird flies. However, what is known is that their wingspan's close range is around 6-6.1 in (15.2-15.4 cm), about three times shorter than an Egyptian plover.

How much does white bellbird weigh?

Researchers like Podos of the University of Massachusetts confirm that bellbird weighs about 2.2 lb (1 kg), but they sing three times as loud as any bulky or large animals like monkeys in the world.

What are the male and female names of the species?

Current biology reports suggest that a bellbird's name is the same for both males and females. However, the appearance of males is different from females. Males are loud and black and white, while females are of olive green.

What would you call a baby white bellbird?

There is no specific name to call a baby male or female bellbirds. Researchers like Podos reported that they start screaming from a young age after hearing their parents sing.

What do they eat?

These loud bellbirds mainly eat fruits as their food. They also eat other invertebrates. The fruits depend on the geographical location of these loudest birds. A bellbird's way of consuming food is by swallowing the entire fruit and later regurgitating the seeds. These bellbirds are also used to collecting food by flight sallies rather than from perches.

Are they dangerous?

Researchers like Anselmo d'affonseca, Mario Cohn Haft, and Podos recorded that their screaming calls can cause hearing difficulties for other creatures. With a loud sound of about 125 dB made by the males, this note pressure can threaten humans' hearing ability and that of other birds.

Would they make a good pet?

These female and male white birds consider humans as life-threatening. Therefore, they can't be domesticated. The song of this bird that is louder than any other bird, with its thick and developed abdominal muscles, creates an extremely loud sound pressure from calls that can affect your homely environment. They would not make good pets.

Did you know...

In case you are wondering why the white bellbird's call is loud, it is so because they have a low airflow respiratory control system due to which they produce loud calls. It is considered to be the noisiest and loudest bird in the world with the loudest song.

It can be fascinating for you to know that the males of white bellbirds have a mating call that is three times louder than the screaming Pihas. Hearing them from a mile away shouldn't surprise you.

Sperm whales are the loudest creature on Earth and can make calls which are about 230 dB loud.

Which bird has the loudest song?

Researchers like Podos and Mario Cohn Haft found that the male white bellbird's song has the loudest recorded call and can cause damage to the hearing system of the females of this bird and other bird species.

How loud is the white bellbird?

As per the study recorded by institutions like the University of Massachusetts, the male white bellbird makes a louder call than the female of about 125 dB sound pressure. Jeff Podos of the University of Massachusetts has recorded the range of the calls of the Screaming Piha, from 120-125 dB.

With unusually thick and developed abdominal muscles, this white male loudest bird is even louder than monkeys, as researchers like Podos said.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these trumpeter swan facts and western wood pewee facts pages.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable white bellbird coloring pages.

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Written by Divya Raghav

Bachelor of Commerce specializing in Accounting and Finance, Master of Business Administration

Divya Raghav picture

Divya RaghavBachelor of Commerce specializing in Accounting and Finance, Master of Business Administration

With a diverse range of experience in finance, administration, and operations, Divya is a diligent worker known for her attention to detail. Born and raised in Bangalore, she completed her Bachelor's in Commerce from Christ University and is now pursuing an MBA at Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies, Bangalore. Along with her professional pursuits, Divya has a passion for baking, dancing, and writing content. She is also an avid animal lover who dedicates her time to volunteering for animal welfare causes.

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