Blogging Thru the Alphabet – Animals – U is for Uguisu

I’m joining in the Blogging Through the Alphabet series with Through the Calm and Through the Storm as well as Adventures with Jude. I will be having animals as my theme.

Here are my past posts in case you missed them:

A for Aardvark    B for Badger    C for Capybara    D for Dodo    E for Eagles  F for Falcons

G for Giraffe  H for Hedgehog   I for Ibis    J for Jackal   K for Killer Whale   L for Leopard

M for Macaw   N for Nyala   O for Okapi  P for Porcupine  Q for Quetzal  R for Rhinoceros

S for Skunk  T for Termite

The Uguisu is a small bird found in Japan, Taiwan and China. It is also commonly called the Japanese Bush-Warbler. But the beauty of their song has brought them to become called the Japanese Nightingale.

The Uguisu was first described as a documented species by Heinrich von Kittlitz in 1830.

These are a relatively small bird with dull coloration that is normally either olive-green or brown. They have long, straight tails. They have thin legs with clawed toes to help them grip as they perch.

In general they are quiet, secretive birds that are heard more than seen (but really only heard during mating season).

The female looks like the male only smaller. She builds a nest and will lay up to five eggs. The chicks hatch within two to three weeks. The babies are fed for about two weeks before they leave the nest.

The Uguisu is an omnivorous animal meaning that they feed on a variety of both plants and animals. Like other Warblers and Nightingales, the Uguisu has a predominantly insect-based diet feeding on flies, worms, beetles, moths and grasshoppers in the forest. The Uguisu is also known to forage for fruits and berries to supplement it’s diet.

This breed of bird will live from two to five years in the wild.

Interesting, but disgusting, fact: the droppings of the Uguisu (known as guano) are now used as a product in certain face creams particularly, as it is thought to make skin softer and more radiant looking. Apparently this peculiar choice in moisturizer is thought to have been used by geishas and kabuki actors throughout Japan for centuries, and it is now sold as a commercial product.

I hope you enjoyed learning about these amazing animals as much as I did! Come back next week when we cover the letter V and learn about the Viper.

Now go check out all the other posts of those who are joining in with Blogging Through the Alphabet. They can post this entire week so make sure to check back and see what has been added!

Enjoy the journey!

Tagged: Animals, Uguisu