Olivaceous Piha

About the Olivaceous Piha

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

The olivaceous piha has two subspecies, the nominate S. c. crytolophus (Sclater, PL & Salvin, 1877) and S. c. mindoensis (Hellmayr & Seilern, 1914). The olivaceous piha is 23 to 24 cm (9.1 to 9.4 in) long; three males weighed about 72 to 76 g (2.5 to 2.7 oz). The sexes have similar plumage. Adult males of the nominate subspecies have a mostly olive head with brighter olive ear coverts and a partially hidden black crest in the middle of the crown. Their upperparts are olive green that is brightest on the rump. Their tail is a browner to grayer olive than their upperparts with thin olive edges... Wikipedia →