Chapter 6. Ecuadorian umbrella bird

![](https://i.imgur.com/G9JrZq3.jpg)

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When on next day Zhenya with its younger brother came to Masha, on the table in its room already lay in prepared in advance photograph, that she and proposed watch guys.

Disappointed, the boys turned the photo of the bird, not so attractive in their opinion, but rather a little scary in appearance, and put it aside.

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![](https://vseznaesh.ru/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Ekvadorskaya-zontichnaya-ptitsa.jpg)
[Photo](https://vseznaesh.ru/12-samyh-neobychnyh-ptits-v-mire)

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– What's wrong?"  the girl asked in surprise. – Didn't I tell you last time I was going to tell you about an unusual bird today?" That's what she is...

– What's the name of this natural wonder?"  Eugene asked dejectedly, and Vitek only stared at his own sock in silence, as if he saw something special there.

Masha was not too embarrassed by this behavior of her friends. She knew she could stir them up, intrigue them with anything she wanted. Yes, at first glance, this bird really does not look very attractive, but it has its own special differences, which make it one of the most unusual creatures in the world.

Picking up the photo, she proudly presented the children imprinted on it a bird:

– Meet-this is an Ecuadorian umbrella bird, which lives in Ecuador, there is such a country in Latin America – warning the question of Vitka, she immediately added. – It can also be found along the Pacific slopes of Choco in Western Colombia.

– It lives in the crowns of tall trees growing in wet and damp forests at an altitude of 80-1800 meters above sea level. Now these birds are at risk, almost on the verge of survival. And all because, because of their large size and black color plumage they find it difficult to disguise, and they become easy prey for hunters.

– Here you say that this bird is big, – Eugene interposed in Masha's story, – and what size is it?

– Zhen, the length of the male exceeds half a meter, how do you think 51 centimeters is a lot or a little? The female, however, is half the size of the male. 

– In addition, males have a long (up to 35 cm), swollen earring covered with short, scaly feathers hanging from the center of the thorax. Precisely thanks to it bird and is called umbrella. Look at the picture more closely and immediately realize that it looks like an umbrella.

The boys again took the card from the table, looking again at the strange bird, agreed with Masha - Yes, indeed, it looks like a small but stylish umbrella.

– In females, these "ornaments" are almost invisible, not that in individuals of the opposite sex, which also increase in size during mating games. By this the males attract the attention of the females, as well as by loud cries, like a cross between the growl of a lion and the lowing of a calf.

– Yes, nothing to say, very musically, – laughed Eugene. – I can imagine what Romeo's courtship of Juliet would look like if he serenaded her in that voice.

Masha smiled and continued:

– Perhaps this ends the participation of males in the offspring generation, as building nests, hatching eggs and feeding Chicks is exclusively female.

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![](https://mtdata.ru/u12/photoA877/20084407991-0/original.jpg#20084407991)
[Photo](https://smallivingworld.mirtesen.ru/blog/43427691403/Neobyichnyie-ptitsyi-nashey-planetyi?nr=1)

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– By the way, the nest of this bird was first discovered only in 2003, perhaps because they build their nests high in the branches of trees, placing rods and twigs at intervals so that the egg or chick can be observed from below.

– Ecuadorian umbrella birds mainly eat fruits, nuts, seeds or insects, but in times of famine will not refuse and animal food, such as lizards. Well, have you changed your mind about this bird? - asked in the end guys Masha. – Would you like to know anything about other interesting representatives of feathered inhabitants of our planet?

– I suppose so, – answered Eugene; – now I should not call it so terrible as it seemed at first sight. And in itself it was quite interesting. But next time, please pick up a brighter and more exotic bird...

– I've got a few of those birds in mind. – Come, next time I will introduce you to one of them – saying goodbye to children, she told.

*To be continued...*

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Start here: [1](https://steemit.com/writing/@mrfantastis/new-adventures-of-masha-and-zhenya-the-most-unusual-creatures-of-our-planet-part-1-living-stone), [2](https://steemit.com/writing/@mrfantastis/new-adventures-of-masha-and-zhenya-the-most-unusual-creatures-of-our-planet-part-2-long-horned-weaver), [3](https://steemit.com/writing/@mrfantastis/new-adventures-of-masha-and-zhenya-the-most-unusual-creatures-of-our-planet-part-3-the-three-faced-bell-ringer), [4-1](https://steemit.com/writing/@mrfantastis/new-adventures-of-masha-and-zhenya-the-most-unusual-creatures-of-our-planet-part-4-the-african-shoebill-part-1), [4-2](https://staging.busy.org/@mrfantastis/new-adventures-of-masha-and-zhenya-the-most-unusual-creatures-of-our-planet-part-4-the-african-shoebill-part-2), [5](https://steemit.com/writing/@mrfantastis/new-adventures-of-masha-and-zhenya-the-most-unusual-creatures-of-our-planet-chapter-5-california-wrasse)