The red-bellied thrush is a songbird of the thrush family, common in South American countries. This is a national symbol of Brazil.
It is a bird about 25 centimeters long. The plumage is mostly brown, with the rusty red belly and white throat. Sometimes there are also yellow circles around the eyes. The bird has long legs. The beak is yellow.
The red—bellied thrush is a migratory bird that winters in warmer climes and returns from the tropics to temperate regions during the warmer months. It lives in large areas of South America, from Uruguay and the northern regions of Argentina to Eastern Brazil and Bolivia. The usual habitat is forests, parks, and gardens.
This is special bird because there are less than 10 thousand adults of this animals.So it is endangered!
HOW THIS BIRD BECAME A SYMBOL OF THE BRAZIL ?
Brazilian President Fernando Henrique Cardoso has issued a decree according to which this bird has become the official symbol of the country, along with the flag.
The red-bellied thrush was selected from over 2,000 Brazilian bird species.
The red-bellied thrush received 91.7% of the votes of the readers of Folha do Meio Ambiente magazine. The writer Jorge Amadou also spoke in favor of his candidacy.
In Brazil, the red-bellied thrush symbolizes the hope and spirit of the Brazilian people. This bird is known for its song, which resembles a melody played on a flute. The red-bellied thrush is also often mentioned in poems and songs.