ANATOMY OF BIRDS
GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION
MIGRATIONS OF BIRDS
CLASSIFICATION OF BIRDS
LIZARD-TAILED BIRD
AMERICAN TOOTHED-BIRDS
THE OSTRICHES
THE RHEAS
EMEUS AND CASSOWARIES
THE TINAMOUS
THE KIWIS
THE PENGUINS
LOONS AND GREBES
ALBATROSSES & PETRELS
STORK-LIKE BIRDS
GOOSE-LIKE BIRDS
FALCON-LIKE BIRDS
FOWL-LIKE BIRDS
CRANE-LIKE BIRDS
PLOVER-LIKE BIRDS
CUCKOO-LIKE BIRDS
THE ROLLER-LIKE BIRDS
SPARROW-LIKE BIRDS
Birds and Birding's Guide to:
Watching THE FALCON-LIKE BIRDS
THE FALCONS, GOSHAWKS, CARACARAS, AND ALLIES
Chimango Habitat
The Chimangos are strictly omnivorous, feeding as occasion presents upon carrion, offal, birds, small mammals, insects, frogs, and in times of scarcity upon a peculiar fungus which appears in the rain pools.
They are constantly on the watch for the weak, the sickly, or injured among birds or other animals, which they quickly pounce upon and destroy, often acting in company. But while an inordinate lover of carrion, it has apparently discovered that this diet is unsuited to the tender stomachs of its young, hence these are fed almost exclusively on the young of small birds.
An especial source of supply is the young of a small bird known as the Teru-reru (Synallaxis hudsoni), which builds a small domed nest in the dense tangle of low bushes. Although it is almost impossible for man to locate these nests, the Chimango apparently has little difficulty and must destroy incredible numbers.
The nest of the Chimango is built on trees or bushes in swamps or on the ground among grass and thistles. The eggs, usually three or four in number, are nearly spherical in shape, and creamy white blotched with deep red in color. The location of the nest is easy to determine, as the parents when returning invariably utter a series of long mournful notes.
When a nest containing young is discovered and visited by man, the old birds apparently always remove the young within a few hours to a place of safety,—a very rare practice among birds.
previous bird species next bird species
Footer
Footer