Rufous Piha
Lipaugus unirufus
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
- FamilyCotingidae (Cotingas)
- GenusLipaugus (Typical Pihas)
- SpeciesLipaugus unirufus (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 →
Closest Relatives at Tikal National Park
Masked Tityra
Tityra semifasciata
Russet-winged Schiffornis
Schiffornis turdina
Black-crowned Tityra
Tityra inquisitor
Rose-throated Becard
Pachyramphus aglaiae
Gray-collared Becard
Pachyramphus major
White-winged Becard
Pachyramphus polychopterus
Lovely Cotinga
Cotinga amabilis
Cinnamon Becard
Pachyramphus cinnamomeus
Brown Jay
Psilorhinus morio
Montezuma Oropendola
Psarocolius montezuma
Melodious Blackbird
Dives dives
Social Flycatcher
Myiozetetes similis
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Rufous Piha in Tikal National Park?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Rufous Piha sighting in Tikal National Park, based on 12 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Rufous Piha in Tikal National Park?
December has the highest sighting rate for Rufous Piha in Tikal National Park in our monthly data.