Grauer's broadbill facts for kids
The Grauer's broadbill (Pseudocalyptomena graueri) is a special type of bird. It's also called the African green broadbill. This bird is the only species in its group, called Pseudocalyptomena. It belongs to a family of birds known as Eurylaimidae. The bird gets its name from a German scientist, Rudolf Grauer. He collected many animal and plant samples in a place once known as the Belgian Congo.
Quick facts for kids Grauer's broadbill |
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Pseudocalyptomena
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| Species: |
graueri
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Contents
What's in a Name?
When Walter Rothschild first described this bird, he thought it was a type of Old World flycatcher. He noticed it looked a bit like other broadbills from Asia, but he believed it wasn't a true broadbill. That's why he named its group pseudo-Calyptomena, which means "false Calyptomena." Calyptomena is a group of Asian broadbills.
Today, scientists agree that the Grauer's broadbill is indeed a real broadbill. It's one of the few broadbill species found in Africa, as most of its relatives live in Asia.
What Does It Look Like?
The Grauer's broadbill is a very striking bird. It has bright green feathers all over its body. Its throat and a part of its belly are a beautiful blue color. Unlike many other broadbills, it has a small beak. Adult birds have a light brown head with thin black stripes. They also have a narrow black line around their eyes.
Where Does It Live?
This amazing bird lives in tropical montane forests. These are forests found in mountains in warm, wet areas. The Grauer's broadbill is only found in the Albertine Rift Mountains. This mountain range stretches across the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.
In Uganda, it's a rare bird. You can find it between 2,100 and 2,200 meters high in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. There are probably fewer than one of these birds per square kilometer.
What Does It Eat?
The Grauer's broadbill enjoys a varied diet. It eats different kinds of seeds and fruits. It also likes to munch on flowers and flower buds. Sometimes, it will also eat small invertebrates, which are creatures without backbones, like insects.
Why Is It Vulnerable?
The Grauer's broadbill is a rare species. Sadly, it is not fully protected across all the areas where it lives. Its biggest threats are deforestation (when forests are cut down) and damage to its habitat. This is a big problem because the areas where these birds live have seen a huge increase in human population recently. Because of these threats, the IUCN has classified the Grauer's broadbill as a vulnerable species. This means it is at high risk of becoming extinct in the wild.
