Pipreola lubomirskii
The Black-chested Fruiteater (Pipreola lubomirskii) is a stunning Neotropical passerine belonging to the Cotingidae family, renowned for its striking sexual dimorphism. Males are instantly recognizable by their brilliant emerald-green upperparts, a vivid lemon-yellow belly, and a stark, glossy black band across the chest that contrasts sharply with a black head and throat. Measuring approximately 18-19 cm in length, their vibrant plumage makes them a jewel of the cloud forest, though their qu...
This species primarily inhabits humid, mossy, upper tropical and subtropical montane cloud forests and wet evergreen forests. It is typically found at elevations between 1,200 and 2,300 meters, occasionally venturing lower to 900 meters or higher up to 2,700 meters.
Primarily frugivorous, consuming a variety of small to medium-sized berries and fruits. It supplements its diet with small invertebrates, often caught by sallying from a perch.
Often a quiet and unobtrusive bird despite its vibrant plumage, the Black-chested Fruiteater typically perches silently and upright in the mid-story to subcanopy of dense forest. It forages by making short, quick sallies from a perch to pluck fruits or insects from vegetation, a technique known a...
The Black-chested Fruiteater is endemic to the humid montane forests of the northern Andes, boasting a relatively restricted distribution. Its range spans from southern Colombia, specifically through the western and central Andes, extending southward into eastern Ecuador. In Colombia, it is found...
Least Concern
- The genus name *Pipreola* is a diminutive of *Pipra*, a genus of manakins, reflecting some shared morphological traits. - Its specific epithet, *lubomirskii*, honors Prince Ladislaus Lubomirski, a Polish ornithologist and collector. - Despite its vivid coloration, it is often challenging to spo...