Orange-breasted Fruiteater

Overview

The orange-breasted fruiteater (Pipreola jucunda) is a species of bird in the family Cotingidae native to Colombia and Ecuador. It is a plump green bird approximately 18 centimetres long, classified as Least Concern by the IUCN.

Identification

• Males possess a glossy black head and throat, a bright orange breast, and a yellow belly with green mottling.
• Females feature green upper parts and green and yellow streaked underparts, lacking the dark head of males.
• Both sexes have yellow eyes, orange bills, and greyish-green legs.
• The song is a high-pitched ascending 'pseeeeeweet', similar to that of the black-chested fruiteater.

Habitat

Native to the western foothills and slopes of the Andes in South America, its range extends from southwestern Colombia to southwestern Ecuador between 600 and 1,900 metres above sea level. It inhabits the understorey of dense, wet, mossy forests.

Diet

The bird feeds largely on fruit, consuming it while perching on a branch or hovering clumsily in the air. It is occasionally observed in small mixed flocks.

Did you know?

Despite its specific name, the bird has a relatively clumsy hovering flight when feeding. Cup-shaped nests have been discovered approximately 5 metres above the ground.