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Monday 9 deceMber 2024 locAl
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Aruba to me

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Episode CVIX - 159 - Our Chuchubi

Etnia Nativa through Island defends its territory against
Insight facilitates cultural birds of its own and other
awareness, education and species, and predatory
safeguards Aruba's heri- animals as well. Both sexes
tage by elevating each build the nest using coarse
reader into an island keep- twigs lined with softer ma-
er state of mind. Be encour- terial and place it low in
aged to discover in every a shrub or tree. The clutch
episode the true native ef- size ranges from two to four
fect, live it, discover more but is usually three. The fe-
reasons to love Aruba be- male does most of the in-
hind our beaches and liven cubation during the 13 to
up your stay in an incred- 15 day period. Chicks are
ibly wonderful way. fed by both parents (and
helpers) in the nest for up
Our island is a tiny tourist to 19 days and beyond
destination with a fragile that after fledging.
ecosystem, covering thou- bonariensis, the Giant Cow- mus gilvus) “Chuchubi”, a Chuchubi forages on the Chuchubi's song is "a var-
sands of years of history. bird Scaphidura oryzivora resident breeding bird that ground or low in vegeta- ied and long-continued se-
Here is where Etnia Nativa's and less than frequent the you can find from Southern tion; it also captures flying quence of diverse mellow
main objective comes to Cuckoo. Mexico to Northern and insects such as swarming to harsh notes, trills, with
mind through educating Eastern South America, the termites on the wing. It is om- considerable repetition of
the readers over Aruba’s They manipulates their host, Lesser Antilles and other nivorous; its diet includes a phrases". It will often sing
heritage. We believe in our Mockingbird, to raise Caribbean islands. variety of arthropods (such through the night. It appar-
when you love and value their young as if it were as spiders, grasshoppers, ently rarely mimics other
what you have, ones great- its own, usually using egg Adult tropical mocking- and beetles),seeds,small species. Its calls include "a
est desire becomes to pro- mimicry, with eggs that birds are 23 to 25.5 cm fruits and berries, larger cul- resonant 'pree-ew'" and
tect it. resemble the host's. Most long. Adults are gray on the tivated fruits (such as man- "a harsh 'chick' or 'chek'".
of the time these pirate head and upperparts and goes), cicadas, lizards, bird For the native aruban be-
During this episode we will eggs haches faster and have a whitish supercilium and lizard eggs, the con- lieves, the Chuchubi is a
share our growing con- kicks and pushes out all ri- and a dark stripe through tents of bird feeders, and messanger.
cern regarding the Tropical val “Chuchubi” hatchlings. the eye. The underparts human food.

Mockingbird`s population. Almost every morning in are off-white and the wings If you love Aruba inter-
Even though it is the most our garden we can witnes are blackish with two white The tropical mockingbird ested in its origins and its
abundant bird specie re- how offspring of other birds wing bars and white edges generally nests from late in cultural heritage, we invite
corded on the island. The begs and demands their to the flight feathers. They the wet season through the you to be part of an exclu-
most direct tred it faces surrogate mother, the Chu- have a long dark tail with transition period into the sive visit at Etnia Nativa, an
comes from other migrant chubi, to feed. At times we white feather tips, a slim early wet season. During off the tourist grid, private
birds which has dicided to see how the Chuchubi tries black bill with a slight down- that long period it often will residential houses sharing
stay. These bird rely on oth- to fly away from the beg- ward curve, and long dark produce three broods. It is collections of native art, ar-
ers to raise their young. This ging intruder. legs. Juveniles are browner monogamous but coop- chaeological artifacts and
strategy appears among ahd their chest and flanks erative breeding has been historic furniture, while the
brood parasite animals, In our language papia- have dusky streaks. Maybe recorded with the young of facility itself is the result of
in this case we call the mento, we call this smart you can spot one this curi- the previous brood acting the transforming and recy-
Shiny Cowbird Molotrhorus tropical mockingbird (Mi- ous specimen. as helpers. It aggressively cling of materials. Meet An-
thony Croes, our columnist
at his museum/ home. The
Article by: Etnia Nativa only and authentic native
Aruban cultural encoun-
Whatsapp us +297 592 2702 and book ter! Live the experience.
your Aruban exprerience Whatsapp + 297 592 2702-
or mail: etnianativa03@
Etnia Nativa is close to the high rise hotels gmail.comq