Black-tipped Cotinga
Carpodectes hopkei
This stunning cotinga is found only from extreme eastern Panama to northwest Ecuador. Males are unmistakable in range: entirely snowy white with a reddish eye and tiny black spots on the wingtips and tail. Females are gray with white edges on the wing feathers. Note chunky shape and short square tail. Occurs singly or in pairs, usually perched in the canopy of mature forest in lowlands and foothills, sometimes around a fruiting tree. Flies with deep rowing wingbeats.
Identification
The black-tipped cotinga reaches an adult length of 9 to 10 inches (23 to 25 cm) and has a black bill, red eyes and short rounded wings. The male is pure white except for a narrow black tip to the outer wing feathers and, in young individuals, a black tip to the central tail feathers. The female looks very different, having the head and upper parts brownish-grey, and the wings and tail brownish-black. The wing-coverts and the inner flight feathers have broad white margins. The underparts are pale grey fading to white on the belly.
Taxonomy
Genus: Carpodectes; Family: Cotingidae; Order: Passeriformes.
- Scientific name
- Carpodectes hopkei
- Authority
- Berlepsch, 1897
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Cotingidae
- Genus
- Carpodectes
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Migration pattern: Resident species.
Conservation
Population trend: declining.
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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Tumbes Hummingbird
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A plain hummingbird found in dry forest and scrub in southwestern Ecuador and northwestern Peru. It is dull green with light gray underparts, a white spot behind the eye, and a thick, slightly curved bill. Some birds show very faint spots on the throat. Similar to Spot-throated Hummingbird, but throat markings are much less conspicuous or entirely absent. Ranges are also different; Tumbes Hummingbird is found only on the Pacific side of the Andes and does not reach the Marañon drainage.
Scaly-bellied Woodpecker
Picus squamatus
A large green woodpecker with a distinctive black-and-white scaly pattern running from the belly to the tail. The crown is red in males and black in females. It inhabits open forests and scrub, where it will often feed on the ground to look for ants and termites. Similar to Streak-throated Woodpecker, but the Scaly-bellied Woodpecker has an unmarked throat and breast, a longer bill, barring on the uppertail, and a darker cheek stripe. Calls include a high-pitched “kwik” and a ringing “kwee-kik.”
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