Gymnoderus foetidus
The Bare-necked Fruitcrow (Gymnoderus foetidus) is a strikingly unique, medium-sized cotinga endemic to the Amazon Basin and Guiana Shield, instantly recognizable by the extensive bare skin on its head and neck. Males boast a vivid scarlet-red bare head and neck, contrasting sharply with their otherwise glossy, purplish-black plumage, while females display a more subdued greyish-black bare skin on the same areas, along with duller overall coloration. Measuring approximately 28-30 cm (11-12 in...
Found primarily in humid tropical and subtropical lowland forests, often near rivers and forest edges. It prefers the canopy and subcanopy layers, generally below 1,000 meters (3,300 feet) in elevation.
Primarily frugivorous, consuming a wide variety of fruits from canopy trees. They supplement their diet with large insects, such as beetles and orthopterans, caught in aerial sallies.
Bare-necked Fruitcrows are diurnal and highly arboreal, spending most of their time high in the forest canopy. They forage actively, plucking fruits directly from branches or making aerial sallies to catch larger insects, sometimes even taking small vertebrates. While generally solitary or seen i...
The Bare-necked Fruitcrow is widely distributed throughout the Amazon Basin and the Guiana Shield in northern South America, being a resident species with no significant migratory movements. Its breeding range spans across parts of eastern Colombia, southern and eastern Venezuela, Guyana, Surinam...
Least Concern
- The species name 'foetidus' means 'fetid' or 'stinky,' which is a puzzling misnomer as the bird is not known to have any offensive odor, possibly an early taxonomist's error or a misunderstanding of local names. - Males possess a striking, featherless scarlet-red head and neck, a vibrant displa...