Gray-tailed Piha

About the Gray-tailed Piha

The grey-tailed piha (Snowornis subalaris) is a species of bird in the family Cotingidae, the cotingas. It is found in Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. The grey-tailed piha was originally described as Lipaugus subalaris. In 1990 it was moved to genus Lathria. Because that genus already applied to species unrelated to subalaris, its current genus Snowornis was erected in 2001 for it and the similar olivaceous piha (S. cryptolophus). The genus honors Dr. David W. Snow for his many contributions to the knowledge of the cotingas.

The grey-tailed piha is monotypic. The grey-tailed piha is 23 to 24 cm (9.1 to 9.4 in) long and weighs about 70 to 90 g (2.5 to 3.2 oz). The sexes have similar plumage. Adult males have a mostly olive head with blackish lores, yellow flecks on the ear coverts, a thin pale eye-ring, and a partially hidden black crest in the middle of the crown. Their upperparts are mostly bright olive green. Their uppertail coverts and tail are ash gray. Their wings are mostly grayish brown with olive coverts, tertials, and the edges of the secondaries. Their throat is pale yellow that blends to bright yellow olive on the breast; the feathers... Wikipedia →