Grauer's cuckooshrike facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Grauer's cuckooshrike |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Ceblepyris
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| Species: |
graueri
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| Synonyms | |
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Coracina graueri |
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The Grauer's cuckooshrike (scientific name: Ceblepyris graueri) is a special type of bird. It belongs to a bird family called Campephagidae, which includes cuckooshrikes and minivets.
This bird lives only in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Africa. It prefers to live in mountain forests, especially in a place called the Albertine Rift. It can be quite common in some areas. However, because of some difficult situations in the region, it's not always easy for scientists to study this bird.
Contents
What Does It Look Like?
Size and Colors
The Grauer's cuckooshrike is a medium-sized bird. It looks slim and graceful, with a fairly long tail.
It has a white belly. Its head and back are gray. Male birds have a darker gray color, while females are a lighter gray. This bird is about 22 centimetres (8.7 in) long.
Sounds It Makes
Scientists do not yet know what sounds or calls the Grauer's cuckooshrike makes. More research is needed to discover its vocalizations.
Where Does It Live?
Its Home in Africa
The Grauer's cuckooshrike lives only in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. There have been some reports of it in the Rwenzoris in Uganda, but these have not been officially confirmed.
It is hard to know exactly how many of these birds there are or where they all live. This is because of political challenges in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. However, in 2013, a team from the Wildlife Conservation Society found many Grauer's cuckooshrikes in the Kisimba-Ikobo Community Reserve. This bird is also known to live in other protected areas, like Kahuzi-Biega National Park. However, there are not many recent sightings from these places.
Its Forest Habitat
This bird lives in Albertine Rift montane forests and other high-up forest areas in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Scientists studied 51 birds and found they all came from only 5 mountain ranges in this region. They live at heights between 1,140 and 1,900 meters (about 3,740 to 6,230 feet).
The Grauer's cuckooshrike usually lives at middle elevations. It lives higher than the blue cuckooshrike but lower than the gray cuckooshrike.
How Does It Behave?
Foraging and Daily Life
Scientists do not know much about how this bird behaves every day. They think it might act similarly to other cuckooshrike species that are related to it.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
The Grauer's cuckooshrike lays its eggs at the end of the rainy seasons. Eggs have been reported in January, May, and June. Not much is known about how these birds raise their young. More studies are needed to learn about their breeding habits.
Protecting This Bird
The Grauer's cuckooshrike is currently listed as a species of "Least Concern." This means it is not in immediate danger of disappearing. However, more studies and surveys are needed to understand its current situation. It is difficult to do these studies because of safety concerns in the areas where the bird lives.
This bird could be affected by climate change. It has also not been seen recently in some places where it used to live. Another threat to the Grauer's cuckooshrike is deforestation, which is when forests are cut down.
