SAÍ swallow

SAÍ swallow

The left-swallow is a passerine bird in the tanager family. One of the most beautiful birds in our country, the left-swallow has body shape and peculiar head. Short beaks, ending in a small tip, with a big mouth and larga.Também is known as leave, Wadi Tanager and bluebird.

features

The male of this species is bright blue with black face and throat. The female and male youth are greenish in bright tone on the back and yellow on the lower parts. In both sexes, there are a number of dark stripes on the ventral plumage, white in the center of the male's belly and yellowish in female.

It has a strong call metallic contact and are often heard before the first preview.

food

It feeds on fruits and insects, catching these last flight from exposed branches. Only approaches the ground to feed on fallen ripe fruit, catch insects in flight or to breed. Due to the head and beak shape, can take various fruits, carrying them to a more hidden perch. The fruit with very large lump to be swallowed has the pulp removed in the esophagus and are spat. It is an excellent seed dispersers. Appreciates the little fruit of the avocado tree from the woods or maçaranduba-of-mine (Persea pyrifolia). Also appreciates the red fruits of Scheflera (Schefflera actinophylla)

reproduction

Dig bounds and makes the nest at the end of the tunnel. Females do nest, hatch and care for virtually alone puppies. Males are on guard most of the time without being involved in the creation of the very young. After breeding flocks return, which can reach some tens around fruiting trees.

habits

Its characteristic habit gregariousness most of the year. Fly in flocks foraging, usually landing on the most exposed branches of trees and shrubs of seasonal fruits. In the middle of the pack often seen other species of salts as the left-blue (Dacnis cayana), for example.