Iodopleura isabellae
The White-browed Purpletuft (Iodopleura isabellae) is a diminutive and often elusive member of the Cotingidae family, renowned for its cryptic behavior and striking, albeit often concealed, sexual dimorphism. Males possess vibrant iridescent purple or lilac flank tufts, typically hidden beneath the wings unless displayed during courtship or excitement, contrasting with their otherwise dark, sooty-black plumage and a distinctive white supercilium that gives the species its name. Measuring a me...
This species primarily inhabits the canopy and sub-canopy of humid lowland evergreen forests, typically below 900 meters elevation. It shows a preference for pristine primary forests, but can occasionally be found at forest edges or in mature secondary growth.
The White-browed Purpletuft is primarily frugivorous, feeding on small berries and drupes, but also supplements its diet with small insects caught in aerial sallies.
White-browed Purpletufts are typically solitary or observed in small family groups, often remaining motionless for extended periods in the upper canopy, making them notoriously difficult to spot. Their foraging strategy involves short, acrobatic aerial sallies to snatch fruits or glean insects fr...
The White-browed Purpletuft has a widespread distribution across the Amazon Basin of South America, spanning parts of eastern Colombia, eastern Ecuador, eastern Peru, northern Bolivia, and much of Amazonian Brazil, extending east into the Guianas. Two recognized subspecies exist: *I. i. isabellae...
Least Concern
- The White-browed Purpletuft is one of the smallest species within the Cotingidae family, renowned for its spectacular and often bizarre members. - Male purpletufts possess brilliant iridescent purple or lilac flank tufts that are typically hidden under their wings, only revealed during displays...