The white-naped xenopsaris (Xenopsaris albinucha) is a bird in the
family Tityridae found in the South American countries of Venezuela,
Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina. It lives in open
woodland and other open forest habitats, and is mostly sedentary, though
some populations may be migratory. The only species in its genus, it is
closely related to becards and tityras, and was thought to be either a
tyrant-flycatcher or cotinga before it was placed in the Tityridae
family. The bird is 12.5 to 13 cm (4.9–5.1 in) in length, with
whitish undersides, a black crown and grey-brown upperparts. The sexes
are similar in appearance, though the females have duller upperparts. It
feeds on insects in the foliage of trees and bushes, and sometimes on
the ground. In a simple cup nest in the fork of a tree, both parents
incubate the eggs and help feed the chicks. After the chicks have
fledged, the parents may divide the brood, each helping one or two
chicks. The species is not common and little is known about it, but it
is not in danger of extinction.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White-naped_xenopsaris>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
572:
Alboin, king of the Lombards, was assassinated in a coup d'état
instigated by the Byzantines.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alboin>
1841:
Giselle (Anna Pavlova pictured in the title role), a ballet by
French composer Adolphe Adam, was first performed at the Théâtre de
l'Académie Royale de Musique in Paris.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giselle>
1904:
In Denmark's worst maritime disaster, SS Norge ran aground on
Hasselwood Rock, Helen's Reef, in foggy weather, and sank, resulting in
more than 635 deaths.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Norge>
1942:
World War II: The German Wehrmacht launched Case Blue, a
strategic summer offensive intended to knock the Soviet Union out of the
war.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Case_Blue>
2009:
Honduran president Manuel Zelaya was ousted by a local military
coup following his attempt to hold a referendum to rewrite the Honduran
constitution.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_Honduran_coup_d%27%C3%A9tat>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
honda:
1. (western US) A closed loop or eyelet at one end of a lariat or lasso,
through which the other end of the rope is passed to form a much larger
loop.
2. (western US) A grommet or other device intended to strengthen or
otherwise improve a simple rope honda.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/honda>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
All that time is lost which might be better employed.
--Jean-Jacques Rousseau
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Jean-Jacques_Rousseau>