White-tipped Plantcutter

Overview

The white-tipped plantcutter (Phytotoma rutila) is a species of bird in the family Cotingidae, native to parts of South America. It is listed by the IUCN as a species of Least Concern and is considered fairly common across its range.

Identification

• Length of 18 to 19.5 cm with a weight of 30 to 57 g.
• Males feature a rufous forehead, dark gray crown and cheeks with a short crest, and dusky blackish wings showing white tips as two wing bars.
• Females have a blackish brown head and upperparts with white streaks, and buffy to ochraceous underparts with thick blackish brown streaks.
• Both sexes possess a stout, conical dark gray to blackish bill with small serrations on the cutting edges and pale yellowish to hazel irises.
• Song described as a mechanical "errrrrrr" sound, like an old-fashioned alarm clock or a creaking door on rusty hinges.

Habitat

This species inhabits a variety of fairly open landscapes, including open woodlands, lowland and montane scrublands, thickets along waterways, parts of the Pampas, and gardens. Its range extends across Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Uruguay, with occasional vagrancy to Brazil and Chile.

Diet

The bird feeds primarily on leaves, but also consumes small amounts of buds, flowers, shoots, and fruits from a wide variety of trees and shrubs. It usually forages in pairs or small groups, though flocks of up to 100 individuals have been noted, typically at heights of 3 to 4 metres above the ground.

Did you know?

The bird's bill features small serrations on its cutting edges. Additionally, the species is a partial migrant, with some individuals moving north after the breeding season while others remain in the south year-round.