kilper on a leaf

kilper on a leaf

gouache and pencil.

THE KILPER
aves idur

SIZE: 10 -20 cm in height when perching

COLOURATION:
The kilper’s plumage is not made for attracting mates, but for camouflage. The bird has a blue abdomen, in order to look like a clear sky when viewed from below, and a green dorsal view for blending into the leaves of the aquatic plants it sits upon. Its tail feathers at the base are coloured and shaped much like most water lilies. The kilper’s longest tail feathers are attached via a very thin shaft, with a bright red and yellow tassel at the tip.

PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTES:
Kilpers are small, sturdy little birds, which are not very agile. They have long toes and semi-webbed feet to aid their movements around their aquatic environment. They are not much use at flying, due to their mass, but can do so for very short bursts.

CALL:
The bird twitters when not hunting for food.

DIET:
The kilper is basically an insectivore, but may on occasion nip up a tiny fish, frog or tadpole.

REPRODUCTION AND SOCIAL STRUCTURE:
The kilper nests in the reeds and tall standing aquatic plants that surround its home. The gestation period is one week, after which a batch of two eggs is laid. These hatch after another two weeks. At first the chicks are totally dependant on their parents for food and protection, but after about a week, they begin to explore their nest and begin showing signs of growing independence, such as pecking at live food. After three weeks, the chicks leave their nest for the last time to settle elsewhere. The kilper has no set mating season.

HUNTING METHOD:
The kilper is a type of open-air angler. It settles on a lily pad or other aquatic greenery, then keeps very still for hours on end, dangling its brightly coloured tail tassel nearby its beak. These colours are very alluring to passing insects, which then come to inspect the feather. Upon their hopeful approach to or alighting on the kilper’s tail, the bird quickly pecks the insect out of the air.

TEMPERAMENT:
The kilper is an alert, protective little bird and does not tolerate being approached or disturbed. It seeks escape immediately and often will not return to the nesting site where it was discovered.

HABITAT:
Lakes, large dams and other bodies of still standing fresh water.

General notes on the KILPER

The kilper is the only one of its kind in the aves kingdom. No other bird makes use of similar hunting methods. One Alex Kilper, the explorer after which the bird was named, discovered it several centuries ago.