Selva cacique facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Selva cacique |
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| Conservation status | |
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Cacicus
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| Species: |
koepckeae
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The Selva cacique (Cacicus koepckeae) is a special kind of bird. It belongs to the Icteridae family, which includes orioles and blackbirds. This bird lives only in Peru, making it an endemic species. Its natural habitat is warm, wet lowland forests.
The Selva cacique is not often seen. It is quite shy and hard to find. Its home is slowly being destroyed, which means fewer places for it to live. Because of this, the number of Selva caciques is going down. The International Union for Conservation of Nature says this bird is "Near Threatened". This means it could become endangered if we don't protect its home.
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What Does the Selva Cacique Look Like?
The Selva cacique is a mostly black bird. But it has a bright yellow rump and yellow feathers under its tail. These yellow parts make it easy to spot!
It is a slim bird with a long tail. It grows to be about 23 centimeters (9 inches) long. Its beak and eyes are a light bluish-white color. Its legs are dark.
Where Does the Selva Cacique Live?
The Selva cacique lives only in eastern Peru. You can find it in areas like Ucayali, Cusco, and Madre de Dios. It also lives in a small part of northwestern Brazil, in Acre State.
This bird likes to live near small rivers and streams. It prefers thick plants along the riverbanks in forested areas. It lives in lowlands and small hills. These areas are usually between 300 and 575 meters (984 to 1,886 feet) above sea level.
How Does the Selva Cacique Live?
Scientists have not studied the Selva cacique very much. But they think it acts a lot like the Ecuadorian cacique (Cacicus sclateri).
Selva caciques might move through the forest alone. They can also be seen in pairs or small groups. One person even saw six of these birds bathing and drinking together!
They look for food high up in the trees, in the canopy. They have been seen poking into groups of seedpods. They might be looking for insects there. Interestingly, they don't seem to eat from nearby trees that are full of fruit.
Why Is the Selva Cacique "Near Threatened"?
The lowland rainforests where this bird lives are getting smaller. People are cutting down trees to make space for farms. This means the Selva cacique has less and less forest to call home.
This bird was never very common. Now, it is becoming even harder to find. It lives in fewer and fewer places. The International Union for Conservation of Nature thinks there are only about 2,500 to 10,000 adult Selva caciques left.
However, its home is in a remote area. This makes it a little safer than some other birds. Because of these reasons, its protection status is "Near Threatened". This means it needs our help to make sure its population doesn't drop too low.
