White-bellied nothura facts for kids
Quick facts for kids White-bellied nothura |
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Nothura
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boraquira
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The white-bellied nothura (Nothura boraquira) is a special type of bird called a tinamou. You can find it living in dry, bushy areas. Its home is in northeastern Bolivia, western Paraguay, and northeastern Brazil.
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About the White-Bellied Nothura's Family
The white-bellied nothura is a unique bird. It is the only species of its exact kind. All tinamous belong to the Tinamidae family. They are also part of a bigger group of birds called ratites. Other ratites include ostriches and emus.
Most ratites cannot fly. But tinamous are different! They can fly, even if they are not super strong flyers. Scientists believe that all ratites came from ancient flying birds. Tinamous are the closest living relatives to these old flying birds.
What Does the White-Bellied Nothura Look Like?
This bird is about 27 cm (11 in) long. Its back and top parts are light brown. They have black stripes and white streaks. The bird's throat is white. Its upper chest is a light tan color with black streaks. The rest of its chest is tan, and its belly is white.
The top of its head is dark brown. The sides of its head are light tan. Its legs are a bright yellow color. The inner parts of its wing feathers are dark. This is different from a similar bird, the spotted nothura.
White-Bellied Nothura's Life and Habits
Like other tinamous, the white-bellied nothura eats fruit. They find fruit on the ground or on low bushes. They also eat small bugs, flower buds, and soft leaves. Seeds and roots are part of their diet too.
Reproduction and Raising Chicks
The male white-bellied nothura is a very good dad! He takes care of the eggs. These eggs might come from up to four different females. After the eggs hatch, he raises the young birds. He looks after them until they are ready to live on their own. This usually takes about two to three weeks.
The bird builds its nest on the ground. It is often hidden in thick bushes. Sometimes, it's placed between raised tree roots.
Where the White-Bellied Nothura Lives
The white-bellied nothura likes dry, bushy areas. It lives in places up to 500 m (1,600 ft) high. You can also find it in dry grasslands and savannas. It lives in a special type of forest called caatinga. Sometimes, it even lives in pastures.
This bird is native to northeastern and central Brazil. It also lives in eastern Bolivia and Paraguay.
Protecting the White-Bellied Nothura
The IUCN (a group that studies nature) says this bird is of "Least Concern". This means it is not in danger right now. The area where it lives is very large. It covers about 1,400,000 km2 (540,000 sq mi).
