species is the Spix’s Macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii), now
apparently extinct in the wild but still extant as captive
populations. This species once ranged in eastern
Brazil but was decimated by loss of habitat as well as
human trapping. The Indigo Macaw (Anodorhynchus
leari), which is very similar to the Hyacinth Macaw,
is considered endangered, now found only in a very
narrow range in eastern Brazil. The somewhat smaller
Glaucous Macaw (Anodorhynchus glaucus) is now
extinct, another victim of human persecution and
habitat loss. It once ranged through southeastern
Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay to northern Argentina.
In addition to the parrots listed as threatened or
endangered, many other species are in decline for the
same reasons. Nest trees are cut to procure the nestlings
for the pet trade. Deforestation eliminates still more
nest trees. Mortality rates among parrots shipped from
Latin America for the pet trade are staggering. Interest
in preserving wild parrot species has increased, and it
is hoped that species that have been negatively affected
will rebound.Cotingas
Cotingas (family Cotingidae, order Passeriformes) are
among the real glamour birds of the Neotropics (plate
15- 64). With names such as bellbirds, umbrellabirds,
cock- of- the- rocks, pihas, fruitcrows, and fruiteaters
(plate 15- 65), the 65 cotinga species make up a colorful
and diverse family.
Cotingas are birds of rain forests and, to a lesser
extent, cloud forests, and are characterized as extreme
fruit specialists. Large cotingids eat fruits of laurels
(Lauraceae), incense (Burseraceae), and palms
(Arecaceae, or Palmae), while smaller species eat smaller,
sweeter fruits, sometimes plucking them while hovering.
Cotingas typically have wide, flattened bills, shaped well
for accommodating rounded fruits. Cotingas feed only
on the flesh of the fruit and not the seeds and thus can
be effective seed dispersal agents. Some species, such as
the fruitcrows and pihas, mix insects among their fruits,
but most cotingas feed exclusively on fruit.
Cotingas are diverse. Some, such as the fruitcrows
(plate 15- 66), umbrellabirds and cock- of- the- rocks,
are large and colorful or have ornate plumage, while
others, such as the fruiteaters and pihas, are smaller
and relatively drab. Some are sexually monomorphic,
the males and females looking alike, while others
represent extreme cases of sexual dimorphism. SomePlate 15- 65. The Green- and- black Fruiteater (Pipreola riefferii)
ranges over northern South America and is found in lowland
forests and forest edges as it roams in search of fruit. This
individual is a male. Females are more uniformly green. Photo
by Edison Buenaño.Plate 15- 64. The Lovely Cotinga (Cotinga amabilis) is one of
several species of cotingas of which males have strikingly
blue and violet coloration. The species occurs from Mexico
to Panama, and similar cotinga species are found elsewhere
in lowland humid forest throughout much of the Neotropics.
Photo by James Adams.chapter 15 neotropical birds: the bustling crowd 285