Ampelion rufaxilla
The Chestnut-crested Cotinga (Ampelion rufaxilla) is a striking, medium-sized passerine, measuring approximately 20-22 cm (8-8.5 inches) in length. Its most defining feature is a prominent, shaggy rufous (chestnut) crest that can be erected, contrasting with its otherwise olive-brown upperparts and grayish head. The underparts are a pale yellowish or olive-yellow, often streaked. In flight, a distinctive white primary patch is visible on its dark wings. Both sexes are similar in plumage, disp...
Found primarily in humid montane evergreen forests, cloud forest edges, and secondary growth with scattered trees. It typically inhabits elevations between 1,800 and 3,000 meters (5,900-9,800 feet).
Primarily frugivorous, consuming a variety of small berries and fruits. It supplements its diet with insects, which are often caught by sallying from a perch.
This diurnal species typically forages in the mid-story and canopy, often perching upright and making short, agile sallies to snatch fruits or insects from foliage or air. While generally observed solitarily or in pairs, it may occasionally join mixed-species flocks, particularly when fruiting tr...
The Chestnut-crested Cotinga is endemic to the Andes Mountains of South America, with a broad but fragmented distribution. Its range extends from the Central and Eastern Andes of Colombia, south through both slopes of the Andes in Ecuador, and continuing into the Andes of Peru. The southernmost p...
Least Concern
- Despite belonging to the Cotinga family, which is famous for elaborate male displays and lekking behavior, the Chestnut-crested Cotinga is relatively plain and exhibits bi-parental care, making it an evolutionary outlier. - Its most striking feature, the prominent rufous crest, can be erected a...