Andean cock-of-the-rock
| Andean Cock-of-the-rock | |
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| Species: | R. peruviana
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| Rupicola peruviana (Latham, 1790)
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The Andean Cock-of-the-rock, Rupicola peruviana is a medium-sized, approx. 32cm (12½ in) long, passerine with a large disk-like crest and scarlet or brilliant orange plumage. It has black tail and wings, and pale grey scapulars. The female is significantly darker and browner than the male and has a shorter crest.
One of the two species in the genus Rupicola, the Andean Cock-of-the-rock is distributed in Andean cloud forests from Venezuela, through Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, to Bolivia. The diet consists mainly of fruits. The male is polygamous and displays in communal lek. The females build shallow nests with mud and plant material on the walls of rocks, hence the common name.
The Andean Cock-of-the-rock is the national bird of Peru.
Widespread throughout humid Andean forests, the Andean Cock-of-the-rock is evaluated as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
References
- Template:IUCN2006 Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
External links
- BirdLife Species Factsheet
- IUCN Red List
- Andean Cock-of-the-rock videos on the Internet Bird Collection
