Rufous Piha

About the Rufous Piha

The rufous piha (Lipaugus unirufus) is a species of bird in the family Cotingidae, the cotingas. Its range extends from southern Mexico throughout Central America and the Chocó-Magdalena region. The rufous piha has two subspecies, the nominate L. u. unirufus (Sclater, PL, 1860) and L. u. castaneotinctus (Hartert, EJO, 1902).

The rufous piha is 22 to 26 cm (8.7 to 10 in) long; six individuals weighed 79 to 97 g (2.8 to 3.4 oz). The sexes have the same plumage. Adults of the nominate subspecies have a rufous crown with thin, somewhat lighter, streaks. The rest of their face and their upperparts are deep cinnamon brown. Their wings and tail are deep cinnamon brown with deep ochraceous buff inner webs on the remiges. Their underparts are buffy cinnamon that is darker and duller on the breast. Subspecies L. u. castaneotinctus has darker, more chestnut cinnamon upperparts than the nominate. Both subspecies have a dark brown iris, a dusky gray maxilla, a dull buffy brown mandible with a gray tip, and gray to brown legs and feet. The rufous piha looks similar to the rufous mourner (Rhytipterna holerythra) and speckled mourner (Laniocera rufescens... Wikipedia →