Bare-necked Umbrellabird
Cephalopterus glabricollis
Large black bird found inside forest, usually at middle levels. Reminiscent of a crow with a funky hairdo; unlike any other species in its range. Male’s bare red throat sac is usually visible, even when not inflated. Female lacks the throat sac and the puffy umbrella-like crest, but she is still distinctively large and all-black. Rare and local.
Identification
The bare-necked umbrellabird is a large, bulky, and crow-like bird, being the largest passerine in its range. It is also among the largest of the cotingas, with only the Amazonian umbrellabird being larger. The males are larger than the females, being 41 cm (16 in) in length and weighing 450 g (16 oz), compared to the females' 36 cm (14 in) and 320 g (11 oz).
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Cephalopterus glabricollis
- Authority
- Gould, 1851
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Cotingidae
- Genus
- Cephalopterus
Range and habitat
The bare-necked umbrellabird is found in Panama, Costa Rica, and southern Nicaragua. It inhabits the subcanopy to upper understory of primary forest throughout its range, although some birds have been seen foraging in secondary forest. It can also be found in areas with dense understory and near fruiting trees. The species follows an annual altitudinal migration based on fruit availability, with most of the year being spent in lowlands between elevations of 100–500 m (330–1,640 ft) for males and at 200 m (660 ft) for females. During the breeding season between March–June, umbrellabird populations move higher up to elevations of 1,000–1,500 m (3,300–4,900 ft), coinciding with the highest fruit availability in these areas.
- Migration
- Vertical migration
Behavior
The bare-necked umbrellabird is mainly frugivorous, feeding on Marcgraviaceae, Urticaceae, Arecaceae, Lauraceae and Annonaceae berries, along with other fruits. It has also been known to feed on lizards, frogs, insects and larvae. Fruits are plucked from vegetation in flight or gleaned with heavy hops. A juvenile was also observed eating arthropods that were flushed out by a swarm of army ants in Costa Rica.<p>Breeding occurs between March and June in Costa Rica and between April and September in Panama. Like other cotingas, male bare-necked umbrellabirds perform leks to attract females.
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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Omani Owl
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Striped Wren-Babbler
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