Scarlet-breasted Fruiteater (Pipreola frontalis)

Identification & Behavior: ~15.5 cm (6.1 in). The male Scarlet-breasted Fruiteater has green upperparts. The throat and breast have a varying amount of scarlet red that grades to yellow bordered with green underparts. The female has green upperparts. The throat and breast vary on the amount of green grading to heavy scaling towards the rest of the underparts. The female has a yellowish forehead and chin (frontalis) or green (squamipectus). Both sexes have a red bill, pale yellow iris, and red legs. It forages in the canopy of the sub-canopy humid montane forest. It is distinguished from the similar Fiery-throated Fruiteater by overall larger size, and by having yellow underparts (male) and yellow or hint of yellow on the forehead and scaled effect rather than barred on the underparts (female).

Status: The Scarlet-breasted Fruiteater is uncommon in montane forests of the east slope of the Andes where it appears to occur in disjunct populations. It is known to range at elevations between 900-2000 m. The Scarlet-breasted Fruiteater also occurs in Ec and Bo.

Name in Spanish: Frutero de Pecho Escarlata.

Sub-species: Scarlet-breasted Fruiteater (Pipreola frontalis squamipectus), (Chapman), 1925.   E slope of Andes from N Ecuador S to N Peru (S to San Martín).
(Pipreola frontalis frontalis), (P. L. Sclater), 1859.   E slope from C Peru S to C Bolivia (W Santa Cruz).

Meaning of Name: Pipreola: A variation on Pipra in order to indicate affinity” (Snow 1982).
frontalis: L. frontalis: fronted, frontal, forehead, brow; in reference to the distinctive, contrastingly colored forehead patch.

See more of the Family Cotingidae