Birds are beautiful creations of God, enticing human beings with vibrant colors. Every bird is special because of its diverse attractions, colors, calls, tails, etc. Here we’re introducing you to a unique bird that has Moustache. The bird’s name is Inca Tern with a splendid Moustache might be the one with the dark grey plumaged Inca tern of the family Sternidae that sports the most splendid whiskers. The Moustache bird is a seabird and is the only member of the genus Larosterna.
The Bougainville Moustached Kingfisher features a pair of attractive Dali-like white handlebar mustaches of specialized feathers that grow out from the fleshy yellow gape at the corners of its dazzling red beak. The interesting point is that the dashing mustache is not only male-oriented but also shared by females. The exclusive bird tends to breed along the west coast of South America, from northern Peru to central Chile.
This was the region once ruled by the valiant Inca Empire, which gives the species its name. It’s a gregarious species, nesting in colonies of quite a few thousand birds elaborate courtship includes a “high flight,” with the male nippily ascending to several hundred feet, pursued by the female bird. Hence, they often return to the same nest site for several years in a row, and both parents incubate and care for the chicks.
However, as a strange ornament and matter of pride, the bird’s mustache length is a reliable signal of its body condition. The longer the mustache, the healthier the birds. Thus, the longer mustaches tend to mate together and have more and larger chicks. Moreover, the cold, nutrient-rich Humboldt Existing flows just off-shore, carrying with it swarms of small ocean fish such as anchovies, which the bird feeds on.
The Inca Tern spots its prey from the air and then dives into the water to grab food with its pointed beak. The majestically beautiful birds also scavenge scraps from sea lions, dolphins, and fishing boats, but small fish are their main diet. Therefore, a decline in anchovy stocks due to commercial fishing and too much guano harvesting has led to a major drop in the population of the Inca tern.
However, the bird was in great numbers in the millions, however, due to the above facts, the existing population assessment is just over 150,000 birds, and the endangered species is now listed as near threatened by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. Though fishing for anchovies has been banned in Peru, guano harvesting is also regulated. Still, natural factors such as frequent cyclones and predators such as rats and cats on some islands can also prevent nesting or decrease breeding success.
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