Caatinga Cacholote
Pseudoseisura cristata
They build massive, conspicuous dome-shaped nests from thorny twigs. These heavy fortresses can have multiple chambers and are often recycled by other animals.
- Scientific name
- Pseudoseisura cristata
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Chordata › Aves › Passeriformes › Furnariidae › Pseudoseisura
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- desert
- Habitat
- Caatinga dry deciduous woodland, thorn scrub, and semi-arid shrublands
- Diet
- Omnivorous, feeding primarily on insects, spiders, other small invertebrates, and occasionally seeds or small fruits
- Range
- Northeastern Brazil
- Size
- 22 cm (8.7 inches) in length, weighing 50-60 grams
- Lifespan
- 5-8 years
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Habitat loss and fragmentation due to cattle ranching, agriculture, and charcoal production
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless. This bird is active, noisy, and poses no threat to humans. Observe from a safe distance of 5-10 meters, especially when they are actively building or defending their nests. If you accidentally scrape yourself on the thorny vegetation they inhabit, wash the scratch with soap and clean water to prevent infection.
The Caatinga cacholote ( Pseudoseisura cristata ) is a species of bird in the Furnariidae family. It is endemic to the Caatinga in north-eastern Brazil. Formerly, it was considered conspecific with P. unirufa under the common name rufous cacholote.
Photo: Nancy Overholtz, CC-BY-SA, via iNaturalist
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