Fun Capuchinbird Facts For Kids

The capuchinbird (Perissocephalus tricolor) is a bird species mostly found in the northeastern region of South America. They belong to the Passeriformes order of the Perissocephalus genus, Cotingidae family, and are endemic to their location. The capuchinbird lives on the coast of Venezuela, in one of the last relatively unexplored forests on Earth. The breeding season varies according to location, and males form leks to attract females. They make a nest close to the leks during the day and will lay only one egg per clutch.

Capuchinbirds are covered in rich brown fur and a bare face that looks disproportionately smaller than their body, almost like a vulture. They have some feathers around their blue-gray head, and the underwings are white. The short, upright tail of this bird is black. Their diet includes fruit or large insects. These birds are quite large in size but may be hunted by predators. The capuchinbird is listed as a Least Concern species, but they are a little uncommon and difficult to find. Habitat loss and deforestation is one of the major reason why they are uncommon. Scroll down to read some interesting facts about the capuchinbird! If you enjoy reading about birds of the world, you can also check out green heron facts and sea eagle facts.

What type of animal is a capuchinbird?

Capuchinbird (Perissocephalus tricolor) is a species of passerine bird native to northeastern South America.

What class of animal does a capuchinbird belong to?

The capuchinbird belongs to class Aves from the Perissocephalus genus of the Cotingidae family and Passeriformes order. The scientific name of this bird is Perissocephalus tricolor.

How many capuchinbirds are there in the world?

The number of capuchinbird is unknown for now. The world population shows signs of decreasing. However, the range and distribution of this species are very vast.

Where does a capuchinbird live?

The capuchinbird is a non-migratory bird that lives in the tropical forests of northeastern South America. Their habitat range includes Colombia, Venezuela, Amazon River, Brazil, and Guiana.

What is a capuchinbird's habitat?

Capuchinbirds live in varied habitats of America, including tropical evergreen forests, lowlands as well as mountains. They are mostly found in the medium levels of sub-canopies. The elevation range of this bird species is very high and can fall under the range of 1968-4593 ft (600-1400 m).

Who do capuchinbirds live with?

Capuchinbirds are usually solitary animals that forage for food and fight against predators alone. They are not completely solitary and show social behavior as well. This is most evident in their lek behavior during the breeding season.

How long does a capuchinbird live?

The average lifespan of capuchinbirds is around 15 to 20 years.

How do they reproduce?

Capuchinbirds are oviparous species, which means they lay eggs after mating. The breeding season generally varies according to the location. It can be close to February to April, January to March, and July to October. Males usually for lek of about eight individuals and try to impress the females. The lek location can change every year and is usually in the 82 ft (25 m) high trees. A dominant male perches on trees with an upright tail, while other males occupy nearby branches. Their mooing call is loud and nearby males may try to capture the branch of the dominant male. Females also compete and search for the ideal male birds. This can lead to chaos in the breeding grounds. Much is still unknown about the lekking behavior of these birds. The nest is a thin, light, and shallow cup made out of twigs of Eugenia tree. It is usually close to the lek and 9.8-19.6 ft (3-6 m) above ground. Females only lay one egg and incubate it alone for 26-27 days. The nesting, feeding, and protection of young ones are also solely undertaken by the female birds.

What is their conservation status?

The conservation status of capuchinbirds is Least Concern. While their population is slightly decreasing due to habitat loss, their numbers and distribution are still significant.

What do capuchinbirds look like?

Capuchinbirds are large birds with a disproportionate head significantly smaller than the rest of the body. They have a rich brown plumage and a bald blue-grey face. The body is brighter on the front and gives off an orange hue. The underwing coverts are white, while the tail is short and black. The feathers on the back of the head are dense and are seen standing upright while in the lekking ground.

How cute are they?

The capuchinbirds have a bare blue-gray head, which makes them look very small in comparison to the body. It is almost like a vulture! The skull-like appearance of the head, along with the fast instincts of this bird, makes it scarier looking than cute.

How do they communicate?

The capuchinbirds are also known as calf-birds because the sound of their call is similar to that of a calf. They communicate using these loud calls and can signal any danger. Body language like ruffling feathers or having an upright black tail and tactile cues are also an important part of the communication system.

How big is a capuchinbird?

The average size of a capuchinbird is around 16 in (40.6 cm). They are four times the length of a hummingbird.

How fast can a capuchinbird fly?

There is no data that has estimated the speed of the capuchinbird.

How much does a capuchinbird weigh?

The average weight of a capuchinbird is around 12-15 oz (340-425 g).

What are the male and female names of the species?

There are no specific names for the males and female birds of this species.

What would you call a baby capuchinbird?

A baby capuchinbird is called a chick or fledgling.

What do they eat?

The capuchinbirds mainly rely on food as their diet but can also feed on large insects. They usually nest near trees and have a constant food supply. The predators of this bird species include ornate hawk-eagle, titi monkeys, ocelots, and boa constrictors.

Are they dangerous?

Capuchinbirds mainly do not interact with humans. This species lives in trees and mainly relies on fruits or insects for food.

Would they make a good pet?

You should not keep capuchinbirds as pets. This is because all birds belong to the sky and not the cage. Other than that, it may be difficult to get your hands on an exotic bird as they are uncommon in the world. As a wild animal, a capuchinbird may not get accustomed to domestic or indoor life, and it's better to let them be free in nature.

Did you know...

The sounds or calls of the capuchinbird in the leks sound something like the distant noise of chainsaws, a distant sound of a motorboat, or like cows mooing.

How many eggs do capuchinbirds lay?

The capuchinbirds form lek during the breeding season, where the male birds try to impress and search for the females. The females can also compete with other females for a strong male bird. They can only lay one egg per clutch and can have multiple clutches in one breeding season.

Is the capuchinbird endemic?

Yes, the capuchinbird species is endemic to South America. Even in South America, they are uncommon and hard to find. You may not be able to search for them outside of their range.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other birds from our shrike facts and brown thrasher facts pages.

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

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