Black-tipped Cotinga

About the Black-tipped Cotinga

The black-tipped cotinga (Carpodectes hopkei) is a species of bird in the family Cotingidae. It is found in Colombia, Ecuador, and Panama. The black-tipped cotinga shares genus Carpodectes with the yellow-billed cotinga (C. antoniae) and the snowy cotinga (C. nitidus). One early twentieth century author treated them as conspecific but they have been otherwise treated as separate species. The three form a superspecies. The black-tipped cotinga is monotypic.

At least one twentieth century author called Carpodectes hopkei the white cotinga. The black-tipped cotinga is 22 to 25 cm (8.7 to 9.8 in) long. The species is sexually dimorphic. Adult males are almost entirely white. They have a very faint gray tinge on their crown, back, and tail and small blackish spots on the tips of the outer primaries and innermost pair of tail feathers. Their flight feathers are wide and have rounded tips. Adult females have a dark grayish head and upperparts and a blackish tail. Their wings are mostly blackish with white edges on the coverts and inner flight feathers. Their breast is pale gray that fades to white towards the vent. Their secondaries are much... Wikipedia →