Pompadour cotinga

Pompadour cotinga
	Male perched pompadour cotinga
Conservation status
	; Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Cotingidae
Genus:	Xipholena
Species:	X. punicea
Binomial name
	Xipholena punicea; (Pallas, 1764)
	Pompadour cotinga distribution: Year-round range Vagrant range
Synonyms
	Turdus puniceusPallas, 1764;

Last updated November 16, 2022

The pompadour cotinga (Xipholena punicea) is a species of bird in the family Cotingidae. This species lives in the Amazonian rainforest and has a range that extends across the Amazon Basin and includes Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, and the Guianas. The pompadour cotinga is primarily a frugivore but has been known to consume insects on occasion. This species of cotinga is distinct in that the males have a burgundy head and body, bright white wings, and yellow eyes. Like other members of the Cotingidae, this species is sexually dimorphic and the females have a pale grey head and body. Although there are not many documented observations of the nesting behavior of these birds, the males are known to perform elaborate mating displays for the females who then raise the young alone.

Due to its arboreal habitat and generally remote distribution, behavior observations are rare. Pompadour cotinga coloration has been studied extensively, but little is known about the natural history of its behavior and existence in its habitat. Despite threats to Amazonian habitat in recent years, the pompadour cotinga remains a species of least concern.

Taxonomy

The first documentation of the pompadour cotinga was in the 1764 auction catalogue of Dutch natural history collector Adriaan Vroeg which listed many species of birds and mammal specimens which were to be sold in glass cases.^[2] The catalogue included an appendix Adumbratiunculae by the Dutch naturalist Peter Simon Pallas. This was written in Latin and used the protonym Turduspuniceus to describe the species.^[3] Birds of the family Cotingidae tend to share certain characteristics such as hooked beaks, strong sexual dimorphism, and mating displays performed by the males.^[4] The most recent phylogeny created in 2014 examined the family using genetic analyses of both nuclear and mitochondrial genes, and compared the results to the synapomorphies among birds of certain clades.^[5] The breeding behavior and sexual dimorphism of certain species did not seem to be connected to the phylogenetic relationships that had been created from the genetic data. However, certain characteristics such as vocal activity did correlate with shared anatomical morphologies among certain clades and were used to support the genetic data. For instance, members of Xipholenapunicea tend to be quieter than other members of Cotingidae and that behavior is shared with their sister taxa Carpodectes. This low vocal activity is likely reflected in the syrinx morphology of both species of birds.^[5] In addition to this characteristic, these genera share physical similarities such as the bright white wings which are displayed as the male birds fly through the treetops.^[6]

Description

Individuals of the Xipholenapunicea are sexually dimorphic, with males displaying bright, complex colorization and females appearing more pale and grey. Males of this species have yellow eyes, stark white primary coverts with black wing tips, and a glossy, wine-red head and body.^[6] The distinguished burgundy color of the male individuals was previously thought to be a combination of "blue structural color and red carotenoid," but recent experimentation has shown that this species of Cotingidae does not utilize structural coloration.^[7] This distinct colorization consists of pigments from eight different carotenoids, six of which are unique to the Xipholenapunicea species itself.^[8] These six pigments were found to be "ring-substituted, methoxy carotenoids" and were likely formed through chemical reactions of other dietary carotenoids.^[7] These species-specific carotenoids are significant in the study of Xipholena punicea because other species of birds are not known to use the same pathways for carotenoid construction that are used by the pompadour cotinga. Additionally, the complexity of the creation of these pigments allows for an added diversity in the carotenoid products themselves and further distinguishes X. punicea from other members of the genus.^[9]

Both male and female pompadour cotinga have a "short beak and wide gape". This trait is shared by other members of the family Cotingidae and is indicative of a frugivorous diet.^[6] Eggs of this species are not well documented, but have been described as bluish-grey and blotched. In addition, chicks undergo a change from white to a blotched-grey color, possibly serving as a form of camouflage in the nest.^[8]

Distribution and habitat

Members of the X.punicea occupy the canopy layer of rainforests across South America, including regions in Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, and the Guianas.^[10] In the Northern Peruvian Amazon, they live in the varillal (white sand forest) regions and forage in groups in the Caraipa tereticaulis trees along the Nanay River.^[11] Pompadour cotingas generally live in areas of thick vegetation and white, sandy soil which has been darkened and acidified by the decomposition of vegetative material. There have also been rare sightings of possible vagrants in Bolivia ^[12] and eastern Ecuador outside of their established range.^[11]

Behavior

Diet

The pompadour cotinga is primarily a frugivore, but it consumes insects opportunistically.^[8] Members of the species forage in small groupings, and use frequent vocalizations of a “PURP!” noise to communicate with one another.¹⁰ Captive pompadour cotingas have been observed occasionally consuming larger prey. One particular species account described a male pompadour cotinga grabbing an anole and hitting it on a perch before beginning to eat it. Pompadour cotingas may supplement their frugivorous diet with meat during the breeding season when there is increased energy expenditure and young birds to feed.^[13]

Reproduction

There are limited observations of the pompadour cotinga in the wild, with most accounts documenting the complex mating ritual of the species although the exact breeding season is unknown. Males flock in small groups to areas where a female has been spotted constructing a nest. The males then participate in “ritualized chasing,” which possibly communicates an order of dominance among the males to the female.^[6] As each male flies to a perch occupied by another male to steal their place, they flash their bright white wings over the area where the female watches below. These mating displays tend to be silent on behalf of the males, yet there is a slight noise emanating from the movement of the wings. A pair is formed shortly after breeding, but this relationship is short-lived and abandoned once nesting begins.^[6]

Parental Care

Documentation of parental care in the pompadour cotinga is rare, but it is known that the species is polygynous and that females are the primary caregiver for the young offspring.^[4] Additionally, there is usually only one egg per nest. In an account by ornithologist Marcelo Barreiros, the female pompadour cotinga was very attentive to the single egg in the shallow nest that she had built for it, leaving only to forage for food. Once the chick hatched a few days later, the mother spent the majority of the observational period attempting to shield the young chick from the sun. The mother of the chick also fed it berries and ate the feces of the young chick.^[8]

Relationship with humans

The most recent information on the conservation status of the Xipholenapunicea is from an evaluation conducted in August 2018 and has placed the species as of least concern.^[14] However, the destruction of the Amazon rainforest has interfered with the habitat of these birds and the species is “suspected to lose 11.5-12.6% of suitable habitat… over three generations,” with the population decreasing in suit.^[14] Luckily, there is a protection of land and water across the entirety of the habitat but the species itself is not included in any international legislation enforcing protection and there is no plan in place to deal with species recovery in the event of disaster.¹³

Research involving the pompadour cotinga has been difficult because it lives high in the rainforest and is normally concealed from view. In recent years, there has been advocation for improved methods of data collection in the rainforest with one researcher, Bruno Walther, proposing the use of cranes in the field to increase access to the canopy level. Despite the hindrance to observational studies, there is a benefit to living in the canopy. Canopy birds were found to be present in disturbed habitats at higher rates than species who occupy lower levels of the forest. This is likely due to their unique ability to leave regions of disaster and low resources more easily than other species.^[15]

Related Research Articles

The cotingas are a large family, Cotingidae, of suboscine passerine birds found in Central America and tropical South America. Cotingas are birds of forests or forest edges, that are primary frugivorous. They all have broad bills with hooked tips, rounded wings, and strong legs. They range in size from 12–13 cm (4.7–5.1 in) of the fiery-throated fruiteater up to 48–51 cm (19–20 in) of the Amazonian umbrellabird.

The harpy eagle is a neotropical species of eagle. It is also called the American harpy eagle to distinguish it from the Papuan eagle, which is sometimes known as the New Guinea harpy eagle or Papuan harpy eagle. It is the largest and most powerful raptor found throughout its range, and among the largest extant species of eagles in the world. It usually inhabits tropical lowland rainforests in the upper (emergent) canopy layer. Destruction of its natural habitat has caused it to vanish from many parts of its former range, and it is nearly extirpated from much of Central America. In Brazil, the harpy eagle is also known as royal-hawk. The genus Harpia, together with Harpyopsis and Morphnus, form the subfamily Harpiinae.

The American redstart is a New World warbler. It is unrelated to the Old World (common) redstart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue-footed booby</span> Species of bird

The blue-footed booby is a marine bird native to subtropical and tropical regions of the eastern Pacific Ocean. It is one of six species of the genus Sula – known as boobies. It is easily recognizable by its distinctive bright blue feet, which is a sexually selected trait. Males display their feet in an elaborate mating ritual by lifting them up and down while strutting before the female. The female is slightly larger than the male and can measure up to 90 cm (35 in) long with a wingspan up to 1.5 m (5 ft).

The resplendent quetzal is a small bird found in southern Mexico and Central America, with two recognized subspecies, P. m. mocinno and P. m. costaricensis. These animals live in tropical forests, particularly montane cloud forests and they are part of the family Trogonidae. Like other quetzals, the resplendent is omnivorous; its diet mainly consists of fruits of plants in the laurel family, Lauraceae, but it occasionally also preys on insects, lizards, frogs and snails.

The Andean cock-of-the-rock, also known as tunki (Quechua), is a large passerine bird of the cotinga family native to Andean cloud forests in South America. It is widely regarded as the national bird of Peru. It has four subspecies and its closest relative is the Guianan cock-of-the-rock.

The Guianan cock-of-the-rock is a species of cotinga, a passerine bird from South America. It is about 30 cm (12 in) in length and weighs about 200 to 220 g. It is found in tropical rainforests, near its preferred habitat of rocky outcrops. The female's plumage is brownish / dark smokey grey in colour, and generally less noticeable than the males because of their nesting work in rocky areas. The male's feathers are a bright orange. Both have a heavy body, broad-based bill and wear a remarkable half-moon crest on the head. It is one of two species of the genus Rupicola, the other being the Andean cock-of-the-rock. The Guianan cock-of-the-rock lives across the forested region of northeastern South America. Its diet consists mostly of fruit, but they sometimes feast on small snakes and lizards.

The paradise riflebird is a passerine bird of the family Paradisaeidae. It is one of four riflebird species in the genus Ptiloris. It is found in subtropical, temperate rainforests in eastern Australia. The species is sexually dimorphic; the male is black with iridescent blue-green patches, while the female is gray-brown and white.

The white-ruffed manakin is a sub-oscine (Tyranni), passerine bird in the manakin family. It is a resident breeder in the tropical New World from eastern Honduras to northwestern Colombia. Its typical habitat is wet forest, adjacent clearings and tall secondary growth. It is a small, plump bird about 10 centimetres (4 in) long. Males have glossy blue-black plumage with a white erectile ruff on the throat and females are green. At breeding time, males are involved in lekking behaviour on the forest floor during which they puff out their neck feathers. This is a fairly common species with a wide range.

David William Snow was a celebrated English ornithologist born in Windermere, Westmorland.

The helmeted manakin is a species of smallpasserine bird in the manakin family Pipridae. Unlike most manakins, a family associated with tropical rainforests, the helmeted manakin inhabits the seasonally dry Cerrado savanna of Central Brazil.

The banded cotinga is a species of bird in the family Cotingidae. It is endemic to southeastern Brazil.

The pin-tailed manakin is a suboscine species of bird within the manakin family, Pipridae. This species is endemic to the Eastern coast of Brazil within the humid Atlantic Forest, and its range extends from the State of Bahia to the State of Rio Grande Do Sul. The pin-tailed manakin is monotypic within the genus Ilicura, and has no known subspecies. It is a relatively small species that has pronounced sexual dimorphism. Male birds of this species have a bright white neck, chest, auriculars, and flanks. They have black and dark-green wings, with a signature pin shape tail that has a small fork near the tip, helping to give it its common name in English. The males are most easily identified by their characteristically vibrant red fore-crown and rump. The females of this species are a muted green, except for their neck and auriculars—which are light grey, and their cream-colored chest. Both male and female birds of this species share a slightly elongated head shape that gives them a distinguished raised forehead. The pin-tailed manakin's vocalizations are quiet, but resemble a high-pitched “see-see-see” in descending tones.

The blue-capped manakin is a species of bird in the family Pipridae. The males have a brilliant blue cap; some have black, others have green body plumage, but the relationship between the subspecies is not well understood.

The swallow-tailed cotinga is a species of passerine bird in the family Cotingidae. It is the only member of the genus Phibalura.

The purple-throated cotinga is a species of bird in the cotinga family, Cotingidae. It is found in the western Amazon rainforest of South America; its range extends from southern Colombia south through eastern Ecuador and Peru and east through extreme northwestern Bolivia and into western Amazonian Brazil. It lives in the canopy or along the borders of humid forest throughout its range. The purple-throated cotinga is monotypic within the genus Porphyrolaema and has no known subspecies. It is one of the smaller cotinga species and expresses strong sexual dimorphism. Males have black upperparts with a bold white wingstripe and white edges to the tertial feathers and a white belly with some black barring on the rear flanks. The throat is a deep purple, giving the bird both its common and scientific names. Females are dark brown with pale buffy margins on the upperparts, buffy cinnamon with black barring on the underparts, and rufous on the throat. The male has a powerful voice.

The black-and-gold cotinga is a species of bird in the family Cotingidae. It is endemic to humid Atlantic Forest in the highlands of the Serra do Mar in south-eastern Brazil. It is threatened by habitat loss, but remains common within several national parks, e.g. Serra dos Órgãos and Itatiaia. Males are highly vocal, and their loud, piercing whistle is frequently heard. It is strongly sexually dimorphic. Except for a bright yellow wing-speculum, males are superficially similar to the male common blackbird, while the far less conspicuous females are overall olive. The female resemble both sexes of the only other member of the genus, the grey-winged cotinga, but is larger, has a thicker bill, and yellowish-olive remiges.

The grey-winged cotinga is a species of bird in the family Cotingidae. It is endemic to Brazil where it is restricted to the Serra dos Órgãos and Serra do Tinguá in Rio de Janeiro State. Its natural habitat is tropical moist montane forest.

The white-naped xenopsaris, also known as the reed becard and white-naped becard, is a species of suboscine bird in the family Tityridae, the only member of the genus Xenopsaris. It is found in South America, in humid subtropical and tropical savanna climates in most of the countries east of the Andes: Venezuela, Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Argentina. Living in open woodland and other open forest habitats, it is mostly sedentary, though some populations may be migratory. The species, which is closely related to becards and tityras, was thought to be either a tyrant-flycatcher or cotinga, before it was placed in Tityridae.

The white-tailed cotinga is a species of bird in the family Cotingidae. It is endemic to Brazil in the northern portions of the Amazon Basin's southeast quadrant.

References

↑ BirdLife International (2018). "Xipholena punicea". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2018: e.T22700894A130266486. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22700894A130266486.en . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
↑ Jansen, Justin J. F. J. (2011-04-01). "Sale catalogue of Adriaan Vroeg's collection in the National Library of Australia, Canberra". Archives of Natural History. 38 (1): 166–167. doi:10.3366/anh.2011.0013. ISSN 0260-9541.
↑ Sherborn, C. Davies (1905). "The new species of birds in Vroeg's catalogue, 1764". Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections. 47: 332–341.
1 2 Peruaves. "Pompadour Cotinga (Xipholena punicea)". Peru Aves. Retrieved 2019-12-04.
1 2 Berv, Jacob S.; Prum, Richard O. (2014-12-01). "A comprehensive multilocus phylogeny of the Neotropical cotingas (Cotingidae, Aves) with a comparative evolutionary analysis of breeding system and plumage dimorphism and a revised phylogenetic classification". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 81: 120–136. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2014.09.001. ISSN 1055-7903. PMID 25234241.
1 2 3 4 5 Snow, D. W. (2008-04-03). "Display of the Pompadour Cotinga Xipholena Punicea". Ibis. 113 (1): 102–104. doi:10.1111/j.1474-919x.1971.tb05129.x. ISSN 0019-1019.
1 2 LaFountain, Amy M.; Kaligotla, Shanti; Cawley, Shannon; Riedl, Ken M.; Schwartz, Steven J.; Frank, Harry A.; Prum, Richard O. (2010-12-01). "Novel methoxy-carotenoids from the burgundy-colored plumage of the Pompadour Cotinga Xipholena punicea". Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics. Carotenoids. 504 (1): 142–153. doi:10.1016/j.abb.2010.08.006. ISSN 0003-9861. PMC 3887449 . PMID 20709013.
1 2 3 4 Barreiros, Marcelo Henrique Mello (2016-08-18). "First records on nests of Pompadour Cotinga (Xipholena punicea) in Brazil, with notes on parental behavior". Revista Brasileira de Ornitologia - Brazilian Journal of Ornithology. 24 (1): 9–12–12. doi: 10.1007/BF03544322 . ISSN 2178-7875.
↑ Prum, Richard O.; LaFountain, Amy M.; Berro, Julien; Stoddard, Mary Caswell; Frank, Harry A. (2012-12-01). "Molecular diversity, metabolic transformation, and evolution of carotenoid feather pigments in cotingas (Aves: Cotingidae)". Journal of Comparative Physiology B. 182 (8): 1095–1116. doi:10.1007/s00360-012-0677-4. ISSN 1432-136X. PMID 22669477. S2CID 7617982.
↑ "Pompadour Cotinga - Introduction | Neotropical Birds Online". neotropical.birds.cornell.edu. doi:10.2173/bow.pomcot1.02. S2CID 240977084 . Retrieved 2019-12-04.
1 2 Alonso, José Alvarez; Whitney, Bret M. (2003-08-01). "New Distributional Records of Birds From White-Sand Forests of the Northern Peruvian Amazon, With Implications for Biogeography of Northern South America". The Condor. 105 (3): 552–566. doi: 10.1093/condor/105.3.552 . ISSN 0010-5422.
↑ Bates, John; Parker, T.; Capparella, A.; Davis, T. (1992-01-01). "Observations on the campo, cerrado, and forest avifaunas of eastern Dpto. Santa Cruz, Bolivia, including 21 species new to the country". Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club. 112: 86–98.
↑ Delgado-V., Carlos A. Unusual vertebrate prey taken by neotropical birds. OCLC 918957064.
1 2 "Xipholena punicea: BirdLife International". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2018-08-07. 2018-08-07. doi: 10.2305/iucn.uk.2018-2.rlts.t22700894a130266486.en . Retrieved 2019-12-04.|date= / |doi= mismatch
↑ Walther, Bruno (2003-01-01). "Why canopy access is essential to understand canopy birds: Four examples from the Surumoni Crane Project". Ornitologia Neotropical. 15.