Black-cheeked gnateater facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Black-cheeked gnateater |
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| Adult male in São Paulo, Brazil | |
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| Adult female in São Paulo, Brazil | |
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| Genus: |
Conopophaga
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| Species: |
melanops
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The black-cheeked gnateater (Conopophaga melanops) is a small bird found only in Brazil. It belongs to a bird family called Conopophagidae. You can tell the male and female apart easily. The male has a bright orange top of its head, a black face, and a white throat. The female, however, is mostly brown.
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Discovering the Black-cheeked Gnater
Scientists group and name all living things. This is called taxonomy. A French scientist named Louis Pierre Vieillot first described the black-cheeked gnateater in 1818. He gave it the scientific name melanops. This name comes from two old Greek words: melas, which means "black," and ops, which means "face." This name perfectly describes the bird's black face!
There are three slightly different types, or subspecies, of the black-cheeked gnateater:
- C. m. perspicillata (Lichtenstein, MHK, 1823) - Found in eastern Brazil (Bahia and Sergipe states).
- C. m. melanops (Vieillot, 1818) - Lives in southeastern Brazil.
- C. m. nigrifrons Pinto, 1954 - Found in eastern Brazil, from Paraíba to Alagoas.
What Does a Black-cheeked Gnater Look Like?
The black-cheeked gnateater is a small, round bird. It measures about 11.5 centimeters (4.5 inches) long and has a short tail. Males and females of this species look different, which is called sexual dimorphism.
Male Gnater Features
The male bird has a very striking look. It has a black face and cheeks. The top of its head is a bright orange, which stands out against the black. Its throat is white. The feathers on its back are brownish. Its belly is pale grey, becoming whiter towards the middle and buff-colored on the sides.
Female Gnater Features
The female gnateater is mostly brown on its upper parts. It has a white stripe above its eye, like an eyebrow. It also has a buff-colored patch on its wings. The female looks a bit like another bird called the rufous gnateater.
Where Do Black-cheeked Gnaters Live?
The black-cheeked gnateater lives in eastern Brazil. You can find it from the state of Paraíba down to Santa Catarina. These birds prefer to live in warm, wet forests that are close to the ground. They like to stay in the undergrowth and on the forest floor.
Sadly, many of the forests where these birds live have been cut down. This means their homes are broken up into smaller pieces. Even though the male has bright colors, these birds are shy and hard to spot in the wild.
How Do Black-cheeked Gnaters Behave?
Black-cheeked gnateaters are monogamous, meaning they stay with one partner. They also protect their own area, or territory. On average, their territory is about 2.94 hectares in size.
They build their nests on branches or on a palm leaf close to the ground. Their nest looks like a flat platform. The female usually lays two eggs.
