White-winged cotinga

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White-winged cotinga
XipholenaAtropurpureaSmit.jpg
CITES Appendix I (CITES) [2]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Cotingidae
Genus: Xipholena
Species:
X. atropurpurea
Binomial name
Xipholena atropurpurea
(Wied, 1820)
Xipholena atropurpurea map.svg

The white-winged cotinga (Xipholena atropurpurea) is a Vulnerable species of bird in the family Cotingidae. It is endemic to Brazil. [1] [3]

Contents

Taxonomy and systematics

The white-winged cotinga shares genus Xipholena with the pompadour cotinga (X. punicea) and white-tailed cotinga (X. lamellipennis). [3] The white-winged and white-tailed cotingas are sister species and the three members of Xipholena form a superspecies. [4] [5] The white-winged cotinga is monotypic. [3]

Description

The white-winged cotinga is about 19 cm (7.5 in) long and weighs 56 to 67 g (2.0 to 2.4 oz). The species is sexually dimorphic. Adult males have a mostly glossy purplish black head, body, and tail though it is somewhat lighter on the uppertail coverts. Their wing is mostly white with purplish black coverts, some red on the tertials, and black tips on the primaries. Adult females have an ash-gray head and upperparts. Their wings and tail are mostly a darker gray with white outer edges on some wing feathers. Their underparts are a paler gray than their back with some darker mottling on the breast. Both sexes have a pale yellow iris and brownish black legs and feet with buff soles. Their dark brownish horn-colored bill has a wide base and a slight hook at the end. Immature males resemble adult females and acquire adult plumage in their second year. [6] [7]

Distribution and habitat

The white-winged cotinga primarily is found coastally in eastern Brazil from Paraíba south to northern Rio de Janeiro state, with scattered records further south and inland. It primarily inhabits dense humid forest and also occurs in more open woodland, semi-deciduous forest, and scrubby forest on sandy soil. In elevation it ranges from sea level to 900 m (3,000 ft). [6] [7] The ranges of the three Xipholena cotingas do not overlap. [7]

Behavior

Movement

The white-winged cotinga is believed to be a year-round resident. [6]

Feeding

The white-winged cotinga feeds mostly on a wide variety of fruit and includes some insects and occasionally flowers in its diet. Its foraging behavior has not been described. [6]

Breeding

The white-winged cotinga's breeding season appears to span from October to February. Males make a display flight up from a perch followed by a steep descent to the same perch with wings and tail spread. The wings make a loud noise during the descent. Its nest is a small deep cup made from rootlets and some moss placed in a branch fork. One was at least 15 m (50 ft) above the ground and another about 20 m (65 ft). The clutch is believed to be one egg. The incubation period, time to fledging, and details of parental care are not known. [6]

Vocal and non-vocal sounds

The white-winged cotinga apparently does not sing. Its calls include a "high, barking weh [7] as well as "high-pitched chíu notes" and a loud "purp" [6] . In addition to the wing noise during the male's display flight, the wings of both sexes make a whispering sound during regular flight. [6]

Status

The IUCN originally in 1988 assessed the white-winged cotinga as Threatened, then in 1994 as Vulnerable, in 2000 as Endangered, and since 2017 again as Vulnerable. It has a "small and severely fragmented range"; its estimated population of between 2500 and 10,000 mature individuals is believed to be decreasing. "This species is threatened by extensive and continuing deforestation, with nearly 60% of suitable habitat disappearing in the period 1980-1997. Many of the protected areas in which it occurs are still under threat and inadequately protected." [1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 BirdLife International (2017). "White-winged Cotinga Xipholena atropurpurea". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2017 e.T22700900A119065682. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T22700900A119065682.en . Retrieved 3 October 2025.
  2. "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
  3. 1 2 3 Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (March 2025). "Cotingas, manakins, tityras, becards". IOC World Bird List. v 15.1. Retrieved 3 March 2025.
  4. Berv, J. S., and R. O. Prum (2014). "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.
  5. Remsen, J. V., Jr., J. I. Areta, E. Bonaccorso, S. Claramunt, D. F. Lane, L, N. Naka, M. B. Robbins, F. G. Stiles, and K. J. Zimmer. Version 29 September 2025. A classification of the bird species of South America. South American Classification Committee associated with the International Ornithological Union. https://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCBaseline.htm retrieved September 29, 2025
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Snow, D. and C. J. Sharpe (2020). White-winged Cotinga (Xipholena atropurpurea), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.whwcot1.01 retrieved October 3, 2025
  7. 1 2 3 4 van Perlo, Ber (2009). A Field Guide to the Birds of Brazil. New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 270–271. ISBN   978-0-19-530155-7.