Common Name: Spangled Cotinga
Scientific Name: Cotinga cayana
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Cotingidae
Genus: Cotinga
Species: C. cayana
The Spangled Cotinga is a very colorful and beautiful bird. It is in a very widespread area. The scientific name for this bird is Cotinga cayana. Something I found on the internet was that this bird costs at least $1,450 to buy for a pet. It also said that these birds contribute to the growing of the rainforest through dropping seeds out of their mouth and through their droppings.
The Spangled Cotinga is usually around 20 cm. in length, or 8.5 in. The coloration on males is very interesting. The males are a bright turquoise blue with a wine red or purple throat and spangled wings, whereas the females are dark brown and black with a light brown spangled breast. The bright colors of the males help to attract a female for a mate. You can identify a male by the colors it has, and the female by its spangled breast. It’s interesting that the Spangled Cotinga doesn’t make noise or sing. Although it has been heard emitting a whistling type noise from its wings when it flies.
These birds live under canopies of the rainforests in South America such as the Amazon. They range from the Andes to the Guayanas. They are often seen in either dead trees or fruit trees. Spangled Cotingas are also sometimes found by oxbow lakes as well. They do well in South America because it is tropical weather, not too hot, not too cold. The total number of these birds is unknown. Although their population is steady, one third of their population is expected to decrease soon. This is because people hunt them for their feathers. Their feathers are used for flies in fishing and for decorations for some local tribes.
Spangled Cotingas are herbivores and birds of prey. The falcon, sparrowhawk, and buzzards like to eat these birds. Like most other smaller birds, the Spangled Cotinga eats mostly berries and fruits. They like to eat in groups with other Spangled Cotingas so they have to compete for food with them. These birds are also related to other Cotingas such as the Plum-throated Cotinga
In conclusion, I learned many things about the Spangled Cotinga, the related birds in the Cotinga Genus , and the color and other differentials among the related birds. There are so many types of birds. This bird is very interesting and I’m glad I was able to learn about it.
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Author: Jonah N
Published: 2/2013
Bibliography: Grzimek’s Animal Life Encyclopedia, Van Nostrand Reinhold Company Publishings, 1973 Volume 9 Birds III, Edited by Bernhard Grzimeck, Wilhelm Meise, Gunther Niethammer, and Joachim Steinbacher
http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=494316
Photo Credit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spangled_Cotinga
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