Bearded bellbird

Procnias averano

Photo by Steve Garvie (Birds of the World)

Common name:
bearded bellbird (en); araponga-do-nordeste (pt); araponga barbu (fr); campanero barbudo (es); bartkotinga (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Cotingidae

Range:
This species is found in two disjunct subspecies. P. a. carnobara is found in Venezuela, Trinidad, Guyana and marginally into northern Brazil, while P. a. averano is found in north-eastern Brazil, from Maranhão to Alagoas and Bahía.

Size:
These birds 27-29 cm long and weigh 127-178 g.

Habitat:
The bearded bellbird is found in tropical rainforests and adjacent tall second growth. To a lesser extent also in dry forests and caatinga. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 1.900 m.

Diet:
They mainly eat fruits and berries, especially those of Lauraceae, Burseraceae, Araliaeae and Melastomataceae.

Breeding:
Bearded bellbirds breed in April-November, varying between different parts of their range. They are polygamous, with the males performing displays in a lek and mating with several females, after which they have no further part in the reproductive process. The female builds the nest, a shallow cup made of fine twigs, placed in a tall tree up to 15 m above the ground. There she lays a single buff-coloured egg with dark brown markings, which she incubated alone for 23 days. The chicks fledge 30-33 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status -  LC (Least Concern)
This species has a large breeding range but is is described as uncommon and patchily distributed. The population has declined locally in north-eastern Brazil as a result of extensive trapping for the cage bird trade and habitat destruction, but the bearded bellbird is not considered threatened at present.

Capuchinbird

Perissocephalus tricolor

(Photo from Zoo Chat)

Common name:
capuchinbird (en); maú (pt); coracine chauve (fr); pájaro capuchino (es); kapuzinerkotinga (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Cotingidae

Range:
This species is found in northern Brazil, north of the Amazon river, in the Guyanas, in south-eastern Venezuela and marginally across the border into Colombia.

Size:
These birds are 34,5-36 cm long. Males weigh 320-395 while the smaller females weigh 265-365 g.

Habitat:
The capuchinbird is found in the canopies of rainforests, from sea level up to an altitude of 1.400 m. Notably, in Venezuela they are found in forested slopes of tepuis.

Diet:
These birds are mainly frugivorous, eating the fruits of a number of plant species, especially
Lauraceae, Burseraceae, and Arecaceae. They also take large athropods such as grasshoppers, phasmids, caterpillars and spiders. They are known to occasionally hunt bats.

Breeding:
Capuchinbirds are polygynous. The males form a lek, where they perform a series of displays to attract females. After mating the male has no further part in the breeding process. The nest is a small cup made of twigs, placed in a fork near the end of a branch, on the forests understory 4-6 m above the ground. There she lays a single pale ground khaki colour egg with sepia and light brown blotches, which she incubates alone for 26-27 days. The chick is fed by the female alone and fledges about 27 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is described as uncommon. The population trend is believed to be stable but the capuchinbird is affected by logging and models of Amazon deforestation suggest they will loose 8% of suitable habitat in the near future.

Purple-throated fruitcrow

Querula purpurata

Photo by Paul Willoughby (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:
purple-throated fruitcrow (en); anambé-una (pt); coracine noire (fr); frutero gorgirrojo (es); purpurbrustkotinga (de)


Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Cotingidae


Range:
This species is found from Nicaragua and Costa Rica to northern Bolivia, the Guyanas and northern Brazil, down to Mato Grosso, Tocantins and Maranhão.


Size:
These birds are 22-30 cm long and weigh 105-115 g.


Habitat:
These birds are found in lowland rainforests, from sea level up to an altitude of 1.000 m.


Diet:
The purple-throated fruitcrow forages on the forest canopy, feeding on insects and fruits.


Breeding:
They form family groups of 3-8 individuals who breed cooperatively. Only one pair breeds, nesting on an untidy cup of small twigs, lined with even smaller twigs. The female lays 1-2 eggs which are incubated by all group members for 24-25 days. The chicks are fed by all group members and fledge 32-33 days after hatching.


Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is described as fairly common. The population is believed to be declining, due to the rapid deforestation of the Amazon forest, and this decline may be over 10% per decade. Despite this, the population is not considered threatened at present.

Sharpbill

Oxyruncus cristatus

(Photo from Bird Forum)

Common name:
sharpbill (en); araponga-do-horto (pt); oxyrhynque huppé (fr); picoagudo (es); flammenkopfkotinga (de)


Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Cotingidae


Range:
This species is found in a series of disjunct areas from Costa Rica to south-eastern Brazil, including the tepuis of southern Venezuela and the Guianas, Amapa, eastern Para, the Brazilian coast from Bahia to Santa Catarina, and various spots on the eastern slopes of the Andes.


Size:
The sharpbill is 17-18 cm long and weighs 40-45 g.


Habitat:
These birds are found in tropical and sub-tropical moist forests, generally preferring dense, tall forests, but but occasionally venturing to the forest edge. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 1.200 m.


Diet:
They mostly eat fruits, but will also take small arthropods and their larvae.


Breeding:
Shapbills nest in a small cup-shaped nest, built by the female out of moss, lichens and spider webs, glued together with saliva. The female lays 2 eggs, which she incubates alone for 14-24 days. The chicks fledge 25-30 days after hatching.


Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least concern)
This species has a very large breeding range, but it is described as uncommon and patchily distributed. It is not considered threatened at present.