Guianan Red-Cotinga
Phoenicircus carnifex
Handsome but seldom-seen cotinga of lowland rainforest. Males are brilliant red and dark rich brown; females are duller but identifiable by red and brown plumage and manakin-like shape. Occurs in mid-story and canopy, where they are usually seen alone. Feeds on fruit which it takes in short sallies from a nearby perch. In limited area of overlap with Black-necked Red-Cotinga, note Guianan’s browner plumage and less clean-cut appearance. Generally quiet; male display sounds include a high-pitched wing whirring and short, explosive calls, both of which may be heard away from display sites.
Taxonomy
In 1743 the English naturalist George Edwards included an illustration and a description of the Guianan red cotinga in the first volume of his A Natural History of Uncommon Birds. He used the English name "The Red Bird from Surinam". Edwards based his hand-coloured etching on a specimen in the collection of the Duke of Richmond. When in 1758 the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus updated his Systema Naturae for the tenth edition, he placed the Guianan red cotinga with the shrikes in the genus Lanius. Linnaeus included a brief description, coined the binomial name Lanius carnifex and cited Edwards' work. The Guianan red cotinga is now placed in the genus Phoenicircus that was introduced in 1832 by the English naturalist William John Swainson. The genus name combines the Ancient Greek phoinikeos meaning "crimson" or "dark red" with kerkos meaning "tail". The specific epithet carnifex is Latin meaning "executioner" or "murderer". The species is monotypic: no subspecies are recognised.
- Scientific name
- Phoenicircus carnifex
- Authority
- (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Pipridae
- Genus
- Phoenicircus
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
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