Life of Seiek: Calooparoo

South America has been home to several groups of unique pterosaurs, some of which are flightless. Many of these creatures have since become extinct with the advent of the Central America land bridge that has brought new competition to the long isolated continent. Some of these strange creatures, though, have survived...

The Calooparoo, Crypteris arborealis, is one such creature. A descendant of azhdarchids, the Calooparoo is a predator that creeps among the Amazon jungle’s canopy. Its matted picnofibers and rough crest blend in perfectly with the bark and leaves it hides among from both other predators and its prey. Though flightless, it’s wing membranes enable it to glide between trees as a means of quicker travel or escape.

The Calooparoo hunts nocturnally for lizards, snakes, small mammals, and roosting birds, supplementing these with fruit and insects. It is also a notorious nest raider. A favorite hunting tactic is to mimic the calls of courting birds or their begging chicks to attract whole families to their doom.

Solitary by nature, Calooparoos come together only to mate. Females construct crude nests where they lay and watch over their eggs, before sending the young flapplings out on their own. The young often remain together for a few years before going their separate ways.