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Orange-breasted fruiteater facts for kids

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Orange-breasted fruiteater
Orange-breasted Fruiteater - Mindo - Ecuador S4E5422.jpg
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Genus:
Pipreola
Species:
jucunda
Pipreola jucunda map.svg
Synonyms

Euchlornis jucunda

The orange-breasted fruiteater (Pipreola jucunda) is a colorful bird found in the forests of Colombia and Ecuador. It belongs to a bird family called Cotingidae. This bird lives in warm, wet montane forests, which are forests on mountainsides.

It is a plump, green bird, about 18 centimetres (7 in) long. Male fruiteaters have a shiny black head and throat, with a bright orange chest and yellow belly. Female fruiteaters look different; they have green upper parts and green and yellow stripes on their undersides. Both males and females have orange beaks and grayish-green legs. This bird is quite common and lives in a large area. Because of this, experts say it is a species of "least concern", meaning it is not currently in danger.

What Does the Orange-breasted Fruiteater Look Like?

The male orange-breasted fruiteater is easy to spot! It has a shiny black head and throat. Its back and wings are green. The chest is a bright orange, and its belly is yellow with some green spots on the sides.

The female looks a bit different. She has green upper parts, like the male. But her underside is streaked with green and yellow, not solid orange and yellow. Both male and female birds have bright yellow eyes, an orange beak, and grayish-green legs. These birds grow to be about 18 centimetres (7 in) long. Their song sounds like a high-pitched "pseeeeeweet" that goes up in sound.

Where Do Orange-breasted Fruiteaters Live?

This bird lives in the foothills and slopes of the western side of the Andes mountains in South America. You can find them from southwestern Colombia all the way to southwestern Ecuador. They usually live at heights between 600 and 1,900 metres (2,000 and 6,200 ft) above sea level. These fruiteaters prefer to live in the lower parts of thick, wet, and mossy forests.

How Do They Live and What Do They Eat?

Orange-breasted fruiteaters are sometimes seen flying with small groups of other bird species. They mostly eat fruit. They can eat fruit while sitting on a branch, or they might hover a bit awkwardly to grab it.

Scientists have found some of their nests. These nests are shaped like cups and are usually about 5 metres (16 ft) above the ground. However, not much else is known about how these birds raise their young.

Is the Orange-breasted Fruiteater Safe?

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) says the orange-breasted fruiteater is a species of "least concern". This means it is not currently at risk of disappearing. The IUCN believes this because the bird lives in a fairly large area and is quite common within that area. Also, the number of these birds seems to be staying steady.

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