Andean Cock-of-the-rock
Image: <bdi><a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q54800218" class="extiw" title="d:Q54800218"><span title="Scottish wildlife photographer">Charles J. Sharp</span></a></bdi> (CC BY-SA 4.0)
NameAndean Cock-of-the-rock
Common NameAndean Cock-of-the-rock
Scientific NameRupicola peruvianus
FamilyCotingidae
Wingspan (cm)34.5
Length (cm)31
Weight (g)235
Plumage DetailsMales are brilliant orange or scarlet with a prominent, semi-circular crest covering the bill. They have black wings, a greyish tail, and pale yellow eyes. Females are duller, typically brownish-orange, and have a smaller crest.
Vocalization / CallVocalizations include a variety of loud, guttural croaks, grunts, and whistles, often given during courtship displays at the lek. They can also produce a distinctive 'squeak-ow' call.
Primary Dietfrugivore
Primary Habitatsforest
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Geographic RangeFound in the cloud forests of the Andes mountains, from Venezuela and Colombia south through Ecuador and Peru to Bolivia.
Identifying FeaturesProminent, disc-like crest (males), Vibrant orange/scarlet plumage (males), Black wings (males), Pale yellow eyes, Inhabits humid montane forests
Description
The male Andean Cock-of-the-rock is a strikingly vibrant bird, characterized by its brilliant orange or scarlet plumage and a prominent, disc-like crest. It is typically found in humid montane forests, where males gather at leks to perform elaborate courtship displays to attract females.
