Piratic flycatcher facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Piratic flycatcher |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Legatus
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| Species: |
leucophaius
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| Breeding Year-round | |
The piratic flycatcher (scientific name: Legatus leucophaius) is a type of passerine bird. This means it's a perching bird, like most songbirds. It's the only bird in its group, called Legatus. These birds live all year in places from southern Mexico and Trinidad down to Bolivia and Argentina. Some piratic flycatchers from Central America and Trinidad also travel, meaning they are migratory. This bird also visits Tobago.
This tyrant flycatcher lives in open areas like savannas that have big trees. It's called "piratic" because it doesn't build its own nest. Instead, it takes over the dome-shaped nests of other, often much bigger, birds. For example, it might take a nest from a yellow-rumped cacique or a crested oropendola. The flycatchers keep bothering the original nest owners until they leave. Then, the flycatcher removes the other birds' eggs. The female piratic flycatcher then lays her own eggs, usually two, but sometimes up to four. These eggs are brown with black streaks. She sits on them alone for 16 days until they hatch. The young birds then stay in the nest for another 18–20 days before they are ready to fly.
What Does It Look Like?
The adult piratic flycatcher is about 15 centimeters (6 inches) long. It weighs around 23 grams, which is about the same as four quarters.
- Body: Its upper body is plain brown. Its flight feathers, which are the long feathers on its wings, have thin white edges.
- Head: It has a long, whitish stripe above its eye, called a supercilium. It also has a hidden yellow stripe on its crown (the top of its head). A dark patch goes across its eyes, like a mask.
- Throat and Underparts: Its throat is white. It has a white stripe on its cheek, called a malar stripe. Its belly and chest are whitish with a bit of light yellow. There are also blurry brownish streaks on its chest and sides.
- Beak: Its dark beak is short and wide.
Sounds and Food
The piratic flycatcher often makes a call that sounds like an "upslurred weeEEE." It sings this sound for a long time from a high branch. Sometimes, it makes a simple "weep weep weep" sound.
These flycatchers like to sit on a high branch where they can see well. From there, they fly out to catch food. Their main food is fruit, like berries. They also eat the soft, hanging parts of Cecropia trees, called catkins. They also eat insects, such as dragonflies. Young piratic flycatchers are fed only insects.
