Moustached turca facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Moustached turca |
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| Conservation status | |
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Pteroptochos
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| Species: |
megapodius
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The moustached turca (Pteroptochos megapodius) is a special type of passerine bird. It is found only in Chile, which means it is endemic to that country. This bird is part of a group called tapaculos. It belongs to the same genus as the two Huet-huet species, named Pteroptochos.
Contents
Meet the Moustached Turca
The moustached turca is a strong, stocky bird. It usually grows to be about 23 to 24 centimeters long. It has a heavy bill and very strong legs and feet. You might often see its tail held up high, almost like it's cocked.
What Does It Look Like?
Most of its body is brown. Its chest, belly, and the feathers under its tail have white stripes. The bird has a dark stripe around its eye and a white stripe above it, like an eyebrow. It also has a wide white stripe that looks like a mustache! Both its bill and legs are black.
There is a northern type of moustached turca called atacamae. This type is smaller and lighter in color. It also has fewer stripes on its belly.
Turca Behavior and Life
The moustached turca has a unique song. It makes a series of low, hooting sounds. These calls can last for 5 to 10 seconds. You can often hear these birds singing while they are sitting on top of a rock.
Nesting and Reproduction
When it's time to build a nest, the moustached turca digs a long tunnel. This tunnel can be up to two meters long! They usually dig these tunnels into earth banks or along the side of a road. Inside the nest, the female bird lays two or three white eggs.
Where the Turca Lives
The main type of moustached turca lives in central Chile. You can find it from the northern Bío-Bío Region up to the Coquimbo Region. The other type, atacamae, lives in a separate area called the Atacama Region.
Turca Habitat and Diet
Both types of turcas like dry, rocky hillsides with bushes. They can live from sea level all the way up into the Andes mountains. In the north, they can be found as high as 3700 meters.
This bird mostly stays on the ground. It can run very fast! The moustached turca eats invertebrates. These are small creatures without backbones, like insects and worms.
See also
In Spanish: Turca para niños
