Collared crescentchest facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Collared crescentchest |
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| at Chapada dos Guimarães, Mato Grosso State, Brazil | |
| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Melanopareiidae |
| Genus: | Melanopareia |
| Species: |
M. torquata
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| Binomial name | |
| Melanopareia torquata (Wied, 1831)
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The collared crescentchest (Melanopareia torquata) is a small, colorful bird. It belongs to a special bird family called Melanopareiidae. You can find this bird in parts of Bolivia, Brazil, and Paraguay. It's known for the unique markings on its chest, which look a bit like a crescent moon or a collar.
Contents
About the Collared Crescentchest
How Scientists Classify This Bird
For a long time, scientists thought crescentchests were part of a different bird family. This family was called Rhinocryptidae. But in 2010, new studies showed that crescentchests are unique. So, they got their very own family, Melanopareiidae.
There are two main types, or subspecies, of the collared crescentchest. These are Melanopareia torquata torquata and M. t. rufescens. Some scientists think there might be a third type, the double-collared crescentchest.
What Does It Look Like?
The collared crescentchest is about 14.5 centimeters (5.7 inches) long. It's a fairly small bird. Two collared crescentchests weighed around 16.5 to 18 grams (0.58 to 0.63 ounces).
The main type of this bird has a brown back and a light brown belly. Its head is gray-brown. It has a thin white stripe above its eye, outlined in black. A reddish-brown "collar" goes around the back of its neck. There's also a black band across its chest. The other subspecies, M. t. rufescens, looks almost the same. The only difference is its crown (top of the head) is reddish-brown.
Where Does It Live?
You can find the collared crescentchest mostly in central Brazil. It also lives in a small part of northeastern Paraguay. This bird prefers a special type of habitat called cerrado. The cerrado is a mix of grasslands and woodlands. It likes areas that are a bit wetter and more open. It tends to stay away from places where humans have changed the land a lot. These birds can live at elevations up to 1,400 meters (4,600 feet) high.
Collared Crescentchest Behavior
What Does It Eat?
Scientists haven't fully studied what the collared crescentchest eats. However, they believe it mainly eats insects. This means it is an insectivorous bird.
How Does It Raise Its Young?
We don't know much about how the collared crescentchest breeds. Its nest is shaped like a ball. It's made of dry grass and leaves. The bird usually builds its nest close to the ground. The female bird lays two eggs. Both the male and female birds take turns sitting on the eggs to keep them warm. They also both help care for the baby birds once they hatch.
What Does It Sound Like?
Both male and female collared crescentchests sing all year round. They usually sing from the top of a short bush. Their song is a series of 3 to 6 loud, clear "chip" notes [1]. Their call is a strong "churr" sound [2].
Conservation Status
The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) has looked at the collared crescentchest. They have listed it as a species of "Least Concern." This means that even though its habitat is changing, the number of collared crescentchests is thought to be quite stable across its large home range.
 | Ernest Everett Just |
 | Mary Jackson |
 | Emmett Chappelle |
 | Marie Maynard Daly |
