White Bellbird

About the White Bellbird

The white bellbird (Procnias albus) is a species of bird in the family Cotingidae, the cotingas. It is found in Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, Venezuela, and as a vagrant to Trinidad. The white bellbird has two subspecies, the nominate P. a. albus (Hermann, 1783) and P. a. wallacei (Oren & Novaes, 1985). It shares genus Procnias with three other species; it and the three-wattled bellbird (P. tricarunculatus) are sister species.

The species' specific epithet has often been spelled alba, but albus is correct due to the masculine gender of Procnias. The white bellbird is about 27 to 29 cm (11 to 11 in) long; males weigh 210 to 222 g (7.4 to 7.8 oz). The species is dramatically sexually dimorphic though both sexes have a short bill that opens very wide. Males are unique. Females resemble female bearded bellbirds (P. averano). Adult males of the nominate subspecies have entirely white plumage. They have a single black wattle with a few white feathers that drapes from the base of the maxilla. Females do not have a wattle. Adult females have an olive-green head and upperparts. Their wings and tail are also olive-green with somewhat... Wikipedia →