White bellbird facts for kids
Quick facts for kids White bellbird |
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_male_(cropped).jpg) |
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| Male at Carajás National Forest, State of Pará, Brazil. |
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| Conservation status | |
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| Genus: |
Procnias
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| Species: |
albus
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| Range of P. albus | |
The white bellbird (Procnias albus) is a special type of bird. It belongs to a family called Cotingidae. This amazing bird is known for being the loudest bird in the world! Its calls can be as loud as 125.4 decibels. That's louder than a rock concert!
The white bellbird lives in forests. You can find it in places like the Guianas, Venezuela, and the Brazilian state of Pará. It also lives in Trinidad and Tobago and Panama. Male white bellbirds have unique fleshy growths called wattles. These are like the red skin flaps you see hanging from a rooster's throat.
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What Does the White Bellbird Look Like?
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The white bellbird grows to be about 28 cm (11 in) long. The male bird is completely white. It has a black beak with a black, fleshy wattle hanging from the top. This wattle usually dangles down one side, often the right. It has a few white feathers on it.
The female white bellbird looks quite different. She is mostly an olive color. Her underside is yellowish with olive streaks. She looks similar to other bellbirds. It's easy to spot a male white bellbird because of its bright white color. However, the female can be mistaken for a bearded bellbird. The bearded bellbird has a darker olive head and black streaks on its throat.
The Loudest Bird Call
In 2019, scientists published a study about the white bellbird. They found that it makes the loudest call ever recorded for a bird. Its call reached an incredible 125 dB(A). This measurement was taken from about one meter away. Before this, the screaming piha held the record with a call of 116 dB. Imagine how loud 125 dB must be!
Where Do White Bellbirds Live?
The white bellbird lives in several countries. Its home includes parts of Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, and Suriname. You can also find it in Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela. These birds prefer to live in moist tropical or subtropical forests.
Is the White Bellbird in Danger?
The white bellbird is not a very common bird. However, there are still many of them in the world. Scientists believe the total number of white bellbirds is quite large. Their population might be slowly decreasing because of deforestation. This is when forests are cut down. But the decline is not happening fast enough for the bird to be considered in danger.
Because of this, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has given it a "least concern" status. This means they are not currently worried about the white bellbird becoming extinct.
