Crag chilia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Crag chilia |
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| Genus: |
Ochetorhynchus
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| Species: |
melanurus
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The crag chilia (Ochetorhynchus melanurus) is a special type of bird. It belongs to the Furnariidae family, also known as ovenbirds. This bird lives only in Chile. This means it is endemic to that country.
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What is the Crag Chilia?
The crag chilia is a unique bird found only in Chile. It is known for living in rocky areas. Scientists study birds like the crag chilia to understand our planet's amazing wildlife.
How Scientists Classify the Crag Chilia
Scientists group living things based on their features. This helps us understand how different species are related. This system is called taxonomy.
The crag chilia used to be in its own special group, called Chilia. Now, scientists have placed it in a group called Ochetorhynchus. In this group, it joins other birds like the straight-billed earthcreeper and the band-tailed earthcreeper.
There are two slightly different kinds of crag chilia:
- O. m. melanurus
- O. m. atacamae
These are called subspecies. They are very similar but have small differences.
What Does the Crag Chilia Look Like?
The crag chilia is a medium-sized bird. It usually weighs between 31 and 40 grams. That's about as much as a few pieces of candy! It is also about 18 to 19 centimeters long. This is roughly the length of a pencil.
Let's look at its colors:
- The O. m. melanurus subspecies has a dark brown back. Its rump and sides are a reddish-brown color. Its chest is grayish, and its belly is brown.
- The O. m. atacamae subspecies looks similar. However, its colors are a bit lighter overall.
Where Does the Crag Chilia Live?
The crag chilia lives only in central and north-central Chile. You can find it between about 27° and 35° south latitudes.
It prefers to live high up in the mountains. You will mostly find it at elevations from 1,400 to 3,000 meters. That's higher than many tall buildings! In winter, it might move to lower areas.
- The O. m. melanurus subspecies lives in the southern part of its range.
- The O. m. atacamae subspecies lives in the northern part.
This bird loves rocky places. It lives on hillsides and cliffs that have some shrubs and scattered plants.
What Does the Crag Chilia Eat and How Does It Live?
The crag chilia mainly eats small creatures called arthropods. These include insects and spiders. It also eats some seeds.
It usually searches for food alone. It looks for food on rocks and pokes its beak into small cracks and holes. This helps it find hidden bugs.
Scientists believe that crag chilia pairs stay together. Their nesting season is thought to be during the spring and summer in the Southern Hemisphere.
- The nest is a big ball made of sticks.
- It is lined with soft feathers inside.
- Nests are usually built in holes or cracks in rocks.
- Sometimes, they are found in holes in earth banks or even in old farm buildings.
Is the Crag Chilia in Danger?
The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) keeps track of how many animals are left in the world. They consider the crag chilia to be of "least concern." This means it is not currently in danger of disappearing.
Even though it lives in a small area, its home is often far away from people. This means its habitat is not usually disturbed by human activities.
See also
In Spanish: Chiricoca para niños
