The bare-throated bellbird (''Procnias nudicollis'') is a species of
bird
Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweig ...
in the family
Cotingidae. It is found in moist subtropical and tropical forests in
Argentina
Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...
,
Brazil
Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
, and
Paraguay
Paraguay (; ), officially the Republic of Paraguay ( es, República del Paraguay, links=no; gn, Tavakuairetã Paraguái, links=si), is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to th ...
. The male has white plumage and bristly bluish-black bare skin around its eye, beak and throat. The female is more drab, being olive-brown above with streaked yellow underparts. The male has one of the loudest known bird calls, producing a metallic sound similar to a hammer striking an anvil. This bird feeds on fruit and plays a part in dispersing the seeds of forest trees. It is considered
Near Threatened
A near-threatened species is a species which has been categorized as "Near Threatened" (NT) by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as that may be vulnerable to endangerment in the near future, but it does not currently qualify f ...
because of loss of its forest habitat and collection for the pet bird trade.
Description
The male bird has striking white plumage and a bare bluish-black patch of skin around its eyes and beak and on its throat. The female is duller in colour with a black crown, olive-brown upper parts and yellowish underparts streaked with olive green. This bird is about long.
Like other bellbirds (''Procnias''), the bill of ''P. nudicollis'' has a short bill with a very wide
gape
The beak, bill, or rostrum is an external anatomical structure found mostly in birds, but also in turtles, non-avian dinosaurs and a few mammals. A beak is used for eating, preening, manipulating objects, killing prey, fighting, probing for food ...
.
Voice
The male has one of the loudest calls of any bird—a sharp sound like that of a
hammer striking an
anvil or a
bell
A bell is a directly struck idiophone percussion instrument. Most bells have the shape of a hollow cup that when struck vibrates in a single strong strike tone, with its sides forming an efficient resonator. The strike may be made by an inte ...
.
[ Before making such a call, an individual must take a sharp inhale to increase air pressure in the interclavicular air-sacs surrounding its syrinx. It takes a long time for young males to learn the call, as one such male living in captivity next to an adult ''P. nudicollis'' that frequently called could not perfect it within 10 months of practice.]
Distribution
The bare-throated bellbird is native to Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina. Whereas it is common in the former two countries, it is rare in Argentina. In 2017, less than 250 mature individuals were estimated to exist in Argentina.
Unlike many other cotingids, they migrate seasonally to different altitudes in Paraguay and east Brazil based on fruit production and the age class of the migrating individuals. Some evidence suggests they are also migratory in south-east Brazil and nearby parts of Paraguay, and that they only visit Argentina.
Their natural habitat
In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...
s are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest
Montane ecosystems are found on the slopes of mountains. The alpine climate in these regions strongly affects the ecosystem because temperatures fall as elevation increases, causing the ecosystem to stratify. This stratification is a crucial ...
. The bare-throated bellbird prefers primary forests, but may also be present in secondary forests
A secondary forest (or second-growth forest) is a forest or woodland area which has re-grown after a timber harvest or clearing for agriculture, until a long enough period has passed so that the effects of the disturbance are no longer evident. ...
with fruit trees, as well as abandoned rubber groves.
Despite its vulnerable status, a juvenile male has been photographed in 2007 foraging in one of the campuses of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro
The Federal University of Rio de Janeiro or University of Brazil (UFRJ; pt, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro or ') is a public research university located in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is the largest federal university in the ...
, an unusual urban setting located on an artificial island in the vicinity of the heavily polluted Guanabara Bay
Guanabara Bay ( pt, Baía de Guanabara, ) is an oceanic bay located in Southeast Brazil in the state of Rio de Janeiro. On its western shore lie the cities of Rio de Janeiro and Duque de Caxias, and on its eastern shore the cities of Niterói a ...
. Another specimen was previously spotted in 2005 at the Ibirapuera Park
Ibirapuera Park ( pt, Parque Ibirapuera) is an urban park in São Paulo. It comprises 158 hectares between Av. República do Líbano, Av. Pedro Alvares Cabral, and Av. IV Centenário, and is the most visited park in South America, with 14.4 milli ...
in São Paulo
São Paulo (, ; Portuguese for ' Saint Paul') is the most populous city in Brazil, and is the capital of the state of São Paulo, the most populous and wealthiest Brazilian state, located in the country's Southeast Region. Listed by the Ga ...
.
Behavior
Cotingids like ''P. nudicollis'' spend a relatively short time foraging due to their frugivory
A frugivore is an animal that thrives mostly on raw fruits or succulent fruit-like produce of plants such as roots, shoots, nuts and seeds. Approximately 20% of mammalian herbivores eat fruit. Frugivores are highly dependent on the abundance and ...
, or fruit-based, diet since fruits do not move as insects do, and so spend plenty of their time preening
Preening is a found in birds that involves the use of the beak to position feathers, interlock feather that have become separated, clean plumage, and keep ectoparasites in check. Feathers contribute significantly to a bird's insulation, waterp ...
and idling, as well as singing during their reproductive period.
Diet
As a frugivory species, ''P. nudicollis'' disperses seeds for the plants it consumes in the Atlantic rainforest ecosystem, such as the ''Euterpe edulis
''Euterpe edulis'', commonly known as juçara, jussara (an archaic alternative spelling), açaí-do-sul or palmiteiro, is a palm species in the genus '' Euterpe''. It is now predominantly used for hearts of palm. It is closely related to the aç ...
''.
It consumes fruits from plants of the Arecaceae, Myrtaceae, Myrcinaceae, Moraceae
The Moraceae — often called the mulberry family or fig family — are a family of flowering plants comprising about 38 genera and over 1100 species. Most are widespread in tropical and subtropical regions, less so in temperate climates; however ...
, Myristicaceae
The Myristicaceae are a Family (biology), family of flowering plants native to Africa, Asia, Pacific islands, and the Americas and has been recognized by most taxonomists. It is sometimes called the "nutmeg family", after its most famous member, ...
, Apocynaceae
Apocynaceae (from ''Apocynum'', Greek for "dog-away") is a family of flowering plants that includes trees, shrubs, herbs, stem succulents, and vines, commonly known as the dogbane family, because some taxa were used as dog poison Members of ...
, Sapindaceae, Lauraceae, Leguminosae, Burseraceae
The Burseraceae are a moderate-sized family of 17-19 genera and about 540 species of flowering plants. The actual numbers differ according to the time period in which a given source is written describing this family. The Burseraceae are also kno ...
, Malpighiaceae, Celastraceae
The Celastraceae (staff-vine or bittersweet) are a family of 97 genera and 1,350 species of herbs, vines, shrubs and small trees, belonging to the order Celastrales. The great majority of the genera are tropical, with only ''Celastrus'' (the sta ...
, Elaeocarpaceae
Elaeaocarpaceae is a family of flowering plants. The family contains approximately 615 species of trees and shrubs in 12 genera."Elaeocarpaceae" In: Klaus Kubitzki (ed.). ''The Families and Genera of Vascular Plants'' vol. VI. Springer-Verlag: Be ...
, Araliaceae
The Araliaceae are a family of flowering plants composed of about 43 genera and around 1500 species consisting of primarily woody plants and some herbaceous plants. The morphology of Araliaceae varies widely, but it is predominantly distinguish ...
and Liliaceae
The lily family, Liliaceae, consists of about 15 genera and 610 species of flowering plants within the order Liliales. They are monocotyledonous, perennial, herbaceous, often bulbous geophytes. Plants in this family have evolved with a fair a ...
families. The width of their gape enables them to swallow fruits whole, then regurgitate large seeds.
Although adult members of the bellbird species have only been observed eating fruit, snails have also been recorded in the stomach of a ''P. nudicollis'' specimen of unknown sex. These are theorized to have been consumed as source of calcium for egg-laying females, as snails are consumed for this reason by the scaled fruiteater, also of the Cotingidae family.
Mating
Although ''P. nudicollis mating practices haven't been observed as closely as its relative, the bearded bellbird, they are likely similar.
The male ''P. nudicollis'' produces its loud call while it perches on a high branch in order to attract a mate. Their breeding season lasts from September to February.
Conservation status
''P. nudicollis'' is listed in Brazil as Near Endangered, where it has been found in the protected areas
Protected areas or conservation areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognized natural, ecological or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the ena ...
of Intervales State Park
The Intervales State Park ( pt, Parque Estadual Intervales) is a State park (Brazil), state park in the state of São Paulo (state), São Paulo, Brazil.
It protects an area of Atlantic Forest, including parts of the Serra de Paranapiacaba and the R ...
, Pico do Marumbi State Park
The Pico do Marumbi State Park ( pt, Parque Estadual Pico do Marumbi) is a State park in the state of Paraná, Brazil.
Location
The Pico do Marumbi State Park is in the municipality of Morretes, Paraná.
It has an area of .
It may be reached fr ...
, Irati National Forest, Capão Bonito National Forest and Guapiaçu Private Ecological Reserve. Reforestation efforts of a Reserva Ecologica Michelin abandoned rubber plantation in Bahia may expand their territory.
Furthermore, it is listed in Argentina and Paraguay as Endangered. ''P. nudicollis'' has been found in the Paraguayan protected area of Reserva Natural del Bosque Mbaracayú, around which it is featured in high school student outreach campaigns. It has also been found in Argentinian protected areas of Iguazú National Park
The Iguazú National Park ( es, Parque Nacional Iguazú) is a national park of Argentina, located in the Iguazú Department, in the north of the province of Misiones, Argentine Mesopotamia. It has an area of .
History
The area of the park ...
, Reserva de Biosfera Yaboty, Reserva de uso Multiple Guarani and Reserva Natural Cultural Papel Misionero, although it may only be present in Argentina during migration.
Habitat loss
''P. nudicollis'' is threatened by habitat loss
Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss and habitat reduction) is the process by which a natural habitat becomes incapable of supporting its native species. The organisms that previously inhabited the site are displaced or dead, thereby ...
through agricultural conversion
Land development is the alteration of landscape in any number of ways such as:
* Changing landforms from a natural or semi-natural state for a purpose such as agriculture or House, housing
* subdivision (land), Subdividing real estate into Lot (re ...
and deforestation
Deforestation or forest clearance is the removal of a forest or stand of trees from land that is then converted to non-forest use. Deforestation can involve conversion of forest land to farms, ranches, or urban use. The most concentrated ...
. Only 10% of its historical range within six Brazilian coastal states, from Bahia to Paraná, remaining after deforestation. Other emergent threats involve urbanization
Urbanization (or urbanisation) refers to the population shift from rural to urban areas, the corresponding decrease in the proportion of people living in rural areas, and the ways in which societies adapt to this change. It is predominantly t ...
, industrialization, and road-building.
Poaching
''P. nudicollis'' is also threatened by heavy poaching
Poaching has been defined as the illegal hunting or capturing of wild animals, usually associated with land use rights.
Poaching was once performed by impoverished peasants for subsistence purposes and to supplement meager diets. It was set a ...
for cagebirds
Aviculture is the practice of keeping and breeding birds, especially of wild birds in captivity.
Types
There are various reasons that people get involved in aviculture. Some people breed birds to preserve a species. Some people breed parrots a ...
. It is the only cotingid widely kept as a cagebird, popular in Brazil.
Trapping pressure has been most significant in Brazil's southern Bahia
Bahia ( , , ; meaning "bay") is one of the 26 states of Brazil, located in the Northeast Region of the country. It is the fourth-largest Brazilian state by population (after São Paulo, Minas Gerais, and Rio de Janeiro) and the 5th-largest b ...
, São Paulo
São Paulo (, ; Portuguese for ' Saint Paul') is the most populous city in Brazil, and is the capital of the state of São Paulo, the most populous and wealthiest Brazilian state, located in the country's Southeast Region. Listed by the Ga ...
and Santa Catarina, as well as in Paraguay for sale in its capital city of Asunción
Asunción (, , , Guarani: Paraguay) is the capital and the largest city of Paraguay.
The city stands on the eastern bank of the Paraguay River, almost at the confluence of this river with the Pilcomayo River. The Paraguay River and the Bay o ...
.
References
Further reading
* Snow, D.W.
David William Snow (30 September 1924 – 4 February 2009) was an English ornithologist born in Windermere, Westmorland.
Career and personal life
He won a scholarship to Eton and started there in 1938 just before his 14th birthday. He won ...
(1982). ''The Cotingas: Bellbirds, Umbrella birds and their allies.'' British Museum Press.
External links
BirdLife Species Factsheet.
{{Taxonbar, from=Q938481
bare-throated bellbird
Birds of the Atlantic Forest
bare-throated bellbird
Taxa named by Louis Jean Pierre Vieillot
Taxonomy articles created by Polbot