Blue cotinga facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Blue cotinga |
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Cotinga
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nattererii
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The blue cotinga (Cotinga nattererii) is a beautiful bird that belongs to the Cotingidae family. You can find this bird in parts of Colombia, north-west Ecuador, Panama, and western Venezuela. It lives in warm, wet lowland forests, even in areas where forests have been changed by people. This bird is not considered to be in danger of disappearing.
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What Does the Blue Cotinga Look Like?
The blue cotinga is a plump bird, a bit like a dove, with a small head. It grows to be about 18 centimeters (7 inches) long.
Male Blue Cotinga
The male blue cotinga is very striking! It has shiny blue feathers. Its throat and chest have a black patch that shimmers with purple colors. There's a black ring around its eye. Its wings and tail are black, but they have wide blue edges. On its belly, there's a round patch of bright purple.
Female Blue Cotinga
The female blue cotinga looks quite different from the male. Her upper body is dark brown. Each feather has a light edge, which makes her look a bit scaly. Her underside is pale brown, and each feather has a buff-colored edge.
Where Do Blue Cotingas Live?
This bird lives in Central and South America. You can find it from central Panama all the way south to northwestern Ecuador and Venezuela. It likes to live on the edges of moist woodlands. It also lives high up in the treetops of old forests and in tall, regrowing forests. These birds usually live at heights up to about 900 meters (3,000 feet) above sea level.
How Do Blue Cotingas Live?
The blue cotinga spends most of its time high up in the forest canopy, which is the top layer of trees. It is usually a solitary bird, meaning it likes to be alone. However, you might sometimes see a few of them together on a tree that has lots of fruit.
What Do They Eat?
Blue cotingas mainly eat fruit. They pick the fruit while hovering in the air for a short moment.
Sounds and Displays
Male blue cotingas often sit very still on a high branch of a tall tree. When they are silhouetted against the sky, their bright blue color can be hard to see. This bird doesn't seem to have a song or a call. But when the male flies, he might make a whirring or rattling sound with his wings. This sound might be a way for him to show off or attract a mate.
Is the Blue Cotinga in Danger?
The blue cotinga has a very wide range where it lives. It is also described as being fairly common. Because of these reasons, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has said that its conservation status is "least concern". This means it is not currently in danger of disappearing.
