Barred Fruiteater
Pipreola arcuata
Chunky, short-tailed, flat-headed bird patterned in green and black. Male has black head and breast, pale yellow belly with bold dark barring, and mossy green upperparts with bold pale spotting on the wing. Female is similar but has a green head with barring all the way up the throat. On both sexes, note red bill and legs and pale eye varying from orange to gray to whitish. Fairly common in stunted forested habitats in the upper subtropical and temperate zone in the Andes. Sluggish; perches quietly in the middle levels of the forest, sometimes following a mixed-species flock. May be seen singly or in pairs, but several can gather around a fruiting tree. Listen for super high-pitched calls.
Identification
This bird is the largest of the fruiteaters and the only one with barred underparts in both sexes. It is a dumpy, rather sluggish bird, growing to a length of 23 cm (9 in). The male has a glossy black head and throat, and the remainder of the upper parts is greenish-brown. The tail is tipped with black and the wings have large areas of yellowish spotting. The underparts are finely barred in black and pale yellow. The head, throat and upper parts of the female are entirely greenish-brown and the underparts are similar to those of the male. Birds at the northern end of the range have orange-red irises while those at the southern end are pale grey or olive. The legs and beak are orange-red. The song is a faint, high-pitched "seeeeeeeh".
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Pipreola arcuata
- Authority
- (Lafresnaye, 1843)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Cotingidae
- Genus
- Pipreola
Range and habitat
The barred fruiteater is native to mountainous parts of South America. Its range extends from Venezuela, Colombia and Ecuador to Peru and Bolivia and its altitudinal range is from 2,250 to 3,300 metres (7,400 to 10,800 ft), going higher than any other fruiteater. It usually moves through the forest singly or in pairs, but at particularly fruitful trees, several birds may congregate.
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Black-and-white Hawk-Eagle
Spizaetus melanoleucus
Rare but spectacular eagle of lowland tropical forest. Very rarely seen perched, when black mask, orange-yellow base of bill, and short black crest are distinctive. In flight appears bright white below with a white head and blackish upperparts. The diagnostic, white leading edge of the inner half of the wing contrasts with the black upperside and can be seen in flight at long range. Does not call much when flying, unlike Black and Ornate hawk-eagles. Adult similar to pale immature Gray-headed Kite, but is larger and has orange base to bill.
Black-legged Seriema
Chunga burmeisteri
Tall terrestrial predator of the Chaco region. Plumage distinctively shaggy. Prefers dense, spiny vegetation, often with thick undergrowth, but can occur in nearby open areas. Smaller and shyer than Red-legged Seriema. Despite its large size, can be difficult to see, and is more often detected by its loud, far-carrying song.
Red-headed Weaver
Anaplectes rubriceps
The only weaver with a slender red-to-orange bill. The breeding male is geographically variable, but all races have diagnostic red heads. The female and non-breeding male have mostly plain gray or brown upperparts, red or yellow in the wing, and pale underparts. Pairs occupy broadleaf woodland and moist savanna, where they frequently join mixed-species flocks, foraging for insects by diligently searching leaves and branches. The species is often detected by its distinctive, high-pitched insect-like squeaks and chips that are incorporated into a typical weaver call and song. The much smaller Red-billed Quelea differs from Red-headed Weaver by having a streaky back and occurring in large flocks.
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