Santa Marta warbler facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Santa Marta warbler |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Myiothlypis
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| Species: |
basilica
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| Synonyms | |
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Basileuterus basilicus |
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The Santa Marta warbler (Myiothlypis basilica) is a small, colorful bird. It belongs to the Parulidae family, which includes many types of warblers.
This special bird lives only in one place: the Santa Marta Mountains in Colombia. This means it is endemic to that area.
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Where Does the Santa Marta Warbler Live?
The Santa Marta warbler makes its home in certain kinds of forests. It prefers subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. These are forests found on mountains where it's often wet and humid.
Sadly, the places where this bird lives are shrinking. Its habitat (natural home) is being lost, which puts the Santa Marta warbler at risk.
Why is This Bird Special?
The Santa Marta warbler was first described in 1913 by Walter Edmond Clyde Todd. For a long time, scientists thought it belonged to a different group of birds, called Basileuterus.
However, in 2012, scientists did a special study using molecular phylogenetics. This means they looked at the bird's DNA to understand its family tree better. The study showed that the Santa Marta warbler actually fits better into the group called Myiothlypis. So, it was moved to this new genus.
What Threatens the Santa Marta Warbler?
The biggest danger to the Santa Marta warbler is habitat loss. This happens when forests are cut down or changed by humans. Even areas that were once forests but are now heavily damaged can't support these birds. Protecting their mountain forest homes is very important to help these unique birds survive.
See Also
You can learn more about the Santa Marta warbler in Spanish here: Reinita de Santa Marta para niños
