Masked Fruiteater (Pipreola pulchra)

Identification & Behavior: ~18.5 cm (7.2 in). The male Masked Fruiteater has green upperparts with a black or dark green mask and golden breast and sides of the neck. The center of the underparts is yellow bordered on the sides by green streaks. The female has green upperparts and yellow underparts streaked with green. Both sexes have a red bill, pale yellow iris, and gray legs. It forages in the canopy of the sub-canopy humid montane forests. It is distinguished from the similar Green-and-Black Fruiteater by having an orange breast, black or dark green mask, and gray legs. It does not overlap with the also similar Band-tailed Fruiteater.

Status: Endemic. The Masked Fruiteater is uncommon in montane forests of the east slope of the Andes at elevations ranging between 1600-2500 m.

Name in Spanish: Frutero Enmascarado.

Sub-species: Masked Fruiteater (Pipreola pulchra), (Hellmayr), 1917.

Meaning of Name: Pipreola: A variation on Pipra in order to indicate affinity” (Snow 1982). pulchra: L. perpulcher: very beautiful.

See more of the Family Cotingidae