Rupicola rupicola
Range
They are found in South America in French Guiana, Suriname, Guyana, southern Venezuela, eastern Colombia and northern Brazil.Habitat
They like to perch on rocky outcroppings (hence the name) in tropical forests.Body Traits
They are a bright orange bird with a large, fanned head crest and orange beak and legs. They have a black tail with orange tips and their wings are black, white and orange. They are sturdy birds reaching about a foot tall (30 cm). Females are duller in color but larger than the males.Habits
The males – sometimes as many as 40 in one place – will display their head crest from on a cleared area of ground, called a lek, to attract females. They fly back and forth from low lying branches to the ground to mate with as many females as possible (polygamous).Diet
They eat fruit.Reproduction
Females make a nest of grass and mud and attach it to a rocky outcropping off the ground using their own saliva. They then lay 1-2 eggs and warm them (incubate) for almost a month. Males do not help with nesting or care of chicks.Lifespan and/or Conservation Status
Unknown status.
Classification
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Aves
- Order: Passeriformes
- Family: Cotingidae
- Genus: Rupicola
- Species: R. rupicola