| Crimson fruitcrow | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Cotingidae |
| Genus: | Haematoderus Bonaparte, 1854 |
| Species: | H. militaris |
| Binomial name | |
| Haematoderus militaris (Shaw, 1792) | |
 | |
Thecrimson fruitcrow (Haematoderus militaris) is aspecies of bird in the large familyCotingidae, not acrow.[2] Theonly member of thegenusHaematoderus, it is found inBrazil,French Guiana,Guyana,Suriname, andVenezuela.Its naturalhabitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowlandforests. Because of its largerange andpopulation density this species is not classified asvulnerable.[3]
The crimson fruitcrow is a large bird about 34 centimetres (13 in) long. The adult male has glossy crimson plumage on head, back and breast, the feathers being long and stiff. A bushy crimson crest is sometimes raised. The wings and tail are dark brown to black, the tail being partly concealed by the long tail-coverts. The female and the immature male have a paler crimson head, throat and underparts, the back, wings and tail being dark brown and the feathers being more flexible. Both sexes have thick, dark red beaks.[4][5]
This species is native to the tropical, lowland rainforests of Guyana, French Guiana and northeastern Brazil. There have been occasional sightings outside its normal range, in west Brazil and east Venezuela. It is an uncommon species and is present in the forest canopy and at the verges of woodland.[5]
Despite its name, this fruitcrow feeds mainly on large insects such ascicadas,beetles andgrasshoppers; it supplements this diet with fruit.[6] Its flight is leisurely and looping, and a display flight, involving ascending in a corkscrew fashion followed by a long glide, has been documented. It perches high in thecanopy, each bird seeming to have a favoured spot. Although usually silent, this bird can emit a low hoot reminiscent of an owl, and also has a sharp "bok" call.[5]
The crimson fruitcrow is generally rather uncommon and patchy in its distribution, and its population size may be declining slowly. However, it has a very extensive range, and theInternational Union for Conservation of Nature does not consider it threatened and has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern".[1]
