Black-bellied cuckoo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Black-bellied cuckoo |
|
|---|---|
.jpg) |
|
| at Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Piaya
|
| Species: |
melanogaster
|
 |
|
The black-bellied cuckoo or black-bellied squirrel cuckoo (Piaya melanogaster) is a bird that lives in the Amazon rainforest region. It belongs to the Cuculidae family, which includes all cuckoos. Even though this bird lives in a very large area, scientists don't know a lot about its daily life or habits. The word melanogaster comes from Greek words. Melas means "black" and gaster means "belly," so its name literally means "black belly."
Contents
What Does It Look Like?
Black-bellied cuckoos are usually about 38 to 40.5 centimeters long. That's about the length of a school ruler! Their beak is a bright purple-red color. They have dark red eyes with blue skin around them. There's also a small yellow spot near the front of each eye.
Their head is grey, which stands out against their ruffled back. Their throat and chest are a reddish-brown, like cinnamon. The lower part of their belly and the feathers under their tail are black. Their tail is black too, with clear white stripes that you can easily see. Young cuckoos look very similar to the adults.
This cuckoo lives in the same areas as another similar bird, the squirrel cuckoo (Piaya cayana). You can tell black-bellied cuckoos apart because they have a dark face and a grey head. Squirrel cuckoos have yellowish-green skin around their eyes. Their chest feathers are grey, and they don't have the special "hood" look that the black-bellied cuckoo has.
Their Song
Black-bellied cuckoos have a special song that sounds like "dyerií-dyu, dyerií-dyu, dyerií-dyu…" They sometimes repeat this song for several minutes. It can be hard to find them when they are singing. This is because they often stay very still in the forest while they make their calls. They also make quiet grunting sounds.
Where Do They Live?
The black-bellied cuckoo is found across the Amazon rainforest. It is a "low density species," meaning there aren't a huge number of them in any one place. They usually live in the upper parts of tropical rainforests. Sometimes, they can also be found in savanna forests, which are grasslands with scattered trees. They prefer to live at altitudes up to 800 meters above sea level.
These birds are native to many countries in South America. You can find them in southern and eastern Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, eastern Venezuela, northern Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, eastern Peru, and Brazil. They are "permanent residents" in these areas, meaning they don't migrate or move away during different seasons.
For example, in Guyana, you might see them in a place called Kanashen. In Bolivia, they live in the department of La Paz. In Colombia, they are found in the southern Meta department, northwest Guainía, and southern Vaupés. In Ecuador, they are seen in the eastern lowlands, usually below 400 meters above sea level. In Brazil, these cuckoos live in the Alta Floresta region, in the north of Mato Grosso.
How Many Are There?
Black-bellied cuckoos live across a very wide area. However, the total number of these birds seems to be going down. It's hard for scientists to count exactly how many there are. Because of this, they haven't been listed as "vulnerable" yet. Currently, they are listed as a species of "least concern." This means they are not immediately in danger of disappearing.
Their Home and Habits
Black-bellied cuckoos live in tropical rainforests and scrub areas. They sometimes visit wooded savannas. Unlike the squirrel cuckoo, they don't usually go into open areas. These cuckoos prefer to stay high up in the forest canopy, which is the top layer of trees. Scientists estimate that cutting down trees (deforestation) reduces their living space by about 10% every 13 years.
How They Behave
Black-bellied cuckoos love to stay in the forest canopy. But you might also see them in tall bushes. They are good at climbing on vines and jumping between tree branches. They can also run along branches and fly in open spaces. When they fly, their wing beats are slow and not very deep. These birds are usually seen alone or sometimes in pairs.
Family Life
Scientists don't know much about how black-bellied cuckoos reproduce. There are records of birds ready to breed in April in Venezuela. In French Guiana, baby cuckoos have been seen being fed from July to November. They build their nests in trees. Female cuckoos usually lay up to two eggs. Their eggs are pure white. A black-bellied cuckoo can live for about 4.2 years.
What Do They Eat?
Black-bellied cuckoos mostly eat large insects. This includes beetles, cicadas, grasshoppers, ants, and even caterpillars, including those with sharp hairs! They find their food high up in the forest canopy. They also eat small vertebrates, like lizards.
