Screaming Piha

The Screaming Piha is, visually, an entirely unremarkable bird: a medium-sized, uniformly gray cotinga with no bold markings, patterns, or bright colors to distinguish it. What it lacks in appearance, however, it makes up for dramatically in voice, producing one of the loudest and most iconic sounds of the Amazon rainforest, a piercing, far-carrying call so frequently used as ambient jungle sound in films and television that it has become one of the most recognizable bird sounds in the world, even to people who have never set foot in South America.

Despite the volume of its call, the bird itself is notoriously difficult to spot, typically remaining still and well hidden in the mid-story or understory foliage while calling, so that observers often hear it dozens of times before ever laying eyes on the caller.

Key field marks

• Plain, uniform gray plumage overall, slightly paler below
• No bold facial pattern, wing bars, or other distinguishing marks
• Fairly large, stocky cotinga shape with a shortish tail
• Best identified by its extremely loud, distinctive call rather than by sight

Similar species

• Several other pihas exist in South America (e.g., Rufous Piha, Gray-tailed Piha) but the Screaming Piha's call is highly distinctive and diagnostic; visually similar gray cotingas and flycatchers can be told apart mainly by voice and range.

Habitat

Inhabits the understory and mid-story of humid lowland forest, generally staying within the shaded interior rather than at open edges.

Range

Widespread across the Amazon basin, including Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, and the Guianas.

Migration

Resident and non-migratory throughout its range.

Behavior

Typically solitary and inconspicuous visually, remaining still on a mid-story perch while delivering its loud call repeatedly, often for extended periods; can be extremely difficult to locate visually despite the volume of sound.

Voice

An extremely loud, sharp, far-carrying call often rendered as "WEE-o" or "pee-YOO," among the most recognizable and frequently used ambient sounds of the Amazon rainforest in film and audio recordings.

Feeding

Feeds on fruit and insects, foraging by making short sallies from a perch in the understory or mid-story.

Nesting

Builds a simple, flimsy platform nest of twigs; the female alone incubates and raises the single chick, as in other cotingas with polygynous or lek-like mating systems.