Basic Information
Scientific classification
- Chinese name: Chestnut-headed frilly-haired mandarin duck
- Scientific name: Chestnut-headed Nunlet (Nonnula amaurocephala)
- Classification: Climbing birds
- Genus and family: Order Vespaculiformes, Family Pittacidae, Genus *Variegata*
Vital signs data
- Body length: 14 to 16.5 cm
- Weight: 25 grams
- Lifespan: No verification data available.
Significant features
Its feathers are unique among puffins.
Distribution and Habitat
The Chestnut-crowned Auk is found in the upper Amazon basin of southern Venezuela; eastern Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru; northern Bolivia; and western Brazil. It is present in many forest types, but usually near water sources. Examples include terrestrial forests and Valzea forests, early successional and secondary forests, and corridor forests. It also occurs in scrubland far from water sources. It typically maintains a fairly low position, from scrubland and understory to the canopy, often perching within 6 m (20 ft) of the ground. Its elevation is usually below 660 m (2,200 ft), but has been recorded as high as 1,000 m (3,300 ft) in Peru and 1,200 m (3,900 ft) in Ecuador.
Appearance
The Chestnut-crested Auk measures 14 to 16.5 cm (5.5 to 6.5 inches) in length and weighs approximately 25 grams (0.88 ounces). It has a chestnut crest, a bright reddish-orange nape, and the rest of its upper body is brown with some light-colored stripes on the back and numerous on the rump. The tail is long and narrow, a warm, dark brown. It has thin white eyebrows, black cheeks and a white stripe down the lower throat, and a reddish-white chin and upper throat. The feathers on the chin curl at the base of the beak. A white band runs below the black throat, and the underparts, except for the lower abdomen, are dark yellow with fine, dark markings. The beak is black, the eyes are red to brown, and the legs are brown to greenish-grey.
Detailed introduction
The Chestnut-crested Auk (scientific name: *Bucco Macrodactylus*) is a bird species belonging to the family Aukidae and the genus *Bucco*. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.
The Chestnut-crowned Stork is classified differently in the genera *Bucco*, *Argicus*, and *Cyphos*. As of 2021, the International Committee for Ornithology (IOC) and Clements classification group it under *Bucco*, while BirdLife International's Handbook of the Birds of the World (HBW) classifies it separately under *Cyphos*. Although a portion of the Venezuelan population is sometimes separated into *B. m.*, all three are considered a single type. (Corynsis)
Almost nothing is known about the breeding phenology of the Chestnut-crowned Puffin. One of its nests is located in a termite mound about 2.5 m (8 ft) high in the tree.
The song of the Chestnut Crested Sandpiper is “a series of mournful but suddenly rising notes that end with a chirping sound, ‘pup pup pep pep peep peep pip pip pip pip piz’.”
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed the Chestnut-crested Auk as a species of least concern. Its range is very large, but its population size is unknown and is believed to be declining. [1] It is considered uncommon to locally common in various parts of its range.
