Turquoise Cotinga

The Turquoise Cotinga is a small, brilliantly colored bird restricted to a limited area of the Pacific slope of southern Central America, making it a prized sighting for birders in the region. Males are a vivid, glowing turquoise-blue overall, accented by a rich purple patch covering the throat and center of the breast, a striking combination even among the colorful cotinga family.

Females look completely different, being a subdued grayish-brown overall with fine pale scaling on the underparts, offering camouflage that contrasts sharply with the male's dazzling plumage, a common pattern of extreme sexual dimorphism among cotingas.

Like other cotingas, the Turquoise Cotinga tends to perch quietly and inconspicuously in the canopy, becoming most visible when a male ventures to an exposed treetop perch to display or attract attention.

Key field marks

• Male: turquoise-blue body with a purple throat and breast patch
• Female: grayish-brown overall with fine pale scaling below
• Small, compact cotinga shape
• Restricted range on the Pacific slope of Costa Rica and western Panama

Similar species

Lovely Cotinga occurs somewhat further north in Central America and shows a different pattern of purple restricted mainly to the throat with less on the breast; within its limited range, the Turquoise Cotinga is not easily confused with any other species given its unique combination of range and plumage.

Habitat

The Turquoise Cotinga inhabits the canopy of humid forest and forest edge, generally in lowland and foothill areas on the Pacific slope.

Range

It has a small, restricted range confined to the south Pacific slope of Costa Rica and adjacent western Panama, making it a range-restricted species of conservation concern.

Migration

It is largely sedentary within its restricted range, though some local movement in search of fruiting trees may occur.

Behavior

Turquoise Cotingas are quiet, unobtrusive birds that typically perch motionless in the canopy, with males occasionally choosing an exposed treetop perch that makes their bright plumage conspicuous.

Voice

Vocalizations are limited, as with many cotingas, generally consisting of simple, non-musical calls rather than an elaborate song.

Feeding

It feeds on small fruits taken from canopy trees, typically plucked while perched or during a brief hovering sally.

Nesting and breeding

As in other cotingas, the female alone is believed to build the nest and raise the young, with males taking no part in nesting duties, consistent with the family's typically promiscuous mating system.