Masked finfoot facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Masked finfoot |
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|---|---|
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Heliopais
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| Species: |
personatus
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| Synonyms | |
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Podica personata Gray, 1849 |
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The masked finfoot or Asian finfoot (Heliopais personatus) is a very rare aquatic bird. It used to live in many freshwater and salty wetlands across parts of Asia. This includes the eastern Indian subcontinent, Indochina, Malaysia, and Indonesia. Like its relatives, the African finfoot and the sungrebe, scientists don't know much about how it's related to other birds.
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What Does the Masked Finfoot Look Like?
The masked finfoot is a special bird that dives underwater. It has a long neck and a sharp beak. Its feet are green and have special flaps, called lobes, that help it swim. Both male and female finfoots have a black mask and eyebrow. These dark marks stand out against a white ring around their eyes and a white stripe on the side of their neck.
The rest of their neck is grey. Their chest is light-colored, and their back, wings, and tail are a rich brown. You can tell males and females apart by their chin. Males have an all-black chin, while females have a white chin.
Where Do Masked Finfoots Live and What Do They Eat?
Masked finfoots can be found in different habitats. These include forests, wooded areas, flooded forests, and even mangrove swamps. They live in wetlands that can be fresh or slightly salty. Sadly, because their homes are being destroyed, they have disappeared from many places where they once lived.
These birds eat small creatures that live in the water. Their diet includes water invertebrates like mayflies (both young and adult), dragonflies, and crustaceans. They also eat snails, fish, and amphibians. Scientists think they are good at finding food and will even pick prey right off the water's surface. Unlike grebes, which look similar but are not related, finfoots can also walk and find food on riverbanks.
Masked Finfoot Behavior
Finfoots are not birds that live in big groups. You usually see them alone or in pairs. They are very shy and like to stay hidden. Even expert ornithologists (bird scientists) rarely see them. This makes them a very exciting bird to spot for birders. Because they are so hard to find, we don't know if they spend most of their time in the water or on land.
Masked Finfoot Reproduction and Life Cycle
We don't know much about how masked finfoots raise their young. It is believed that they breed during the rainy season. In Bangladesh, people have seen them breeding from June to September.
They build a flat, pad-shaped nest using small sticks. These nests are usually built low over the water. Sometimes, their nests also have a few long leaves, grass, and reeds. A female finfoot lays three to seven eggs. The baby finfoots, called chicks, are dark grey. They have a white spot on the tip of their beak. The parents feed the chicks fish and shrimps. The chicks leave the nest soon after they hatch.
Why is the Masked Finfoot in Danger?
The masked finfoot is in serious trouble. In 2009, it was thought there were about 600 to 1,700 of these birds left. But a study in 2020 found that there might be only 100 to 300 birds remaining. This is much lower than thought before. This means the species should likely be listed as critically endangered. This is the highest risk category before a species becomes extinct.
Major steps are needed to protect them. Otherwise, they could be the next bird to disappear from Asia forever. We only know for sure that they are breeding in four places: two in Bangladesh and two in Cambodia. There might be breeding populations in six other places in Myanmar, Laos, and Vietnam. Sadly, the bird has likely disappeared from Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore.
The biggest dangers to the masked finfoot are people disturbing them and losing their homes. Their homes are the low-lying forested wetlands where they live. In Malaysia, this bird is protected by law.
Images for kids
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A masked finfoot swimming in the water.
