290 BIRDS OF THE REPUBLIC OF PANAMA PART 3 



Immature male, in general like female but paler, more grayish 

 brown above ; changing by degrees to adult dress. 



These wide-ranging birds are common throughout the Republic 

 wherever there is forest cover in lowlands and in hill country border- 

 ing the mountains. Though seemingly universally distributed, they 

 are seen mainly about clearings, along the borders of streams, and 

 in open second growth. As they are birds of the tree crown they 

 may be detected only casually in extensive reaches of heavy forest. 

 It is usual to see them in pairs, flying about the skeleton branches of 

 dead trees where there are woodpecker holes or other cavities. They 

 inspect these openings, peering in from the entrance until in the breed- 

 ing season one is selected for a nest. Then the female may enter 

 while the male remains perched nearby. Where more than two of 

 the birds are found together, usually there is one female accompanied 

 by two or more males that fly and perch in close company intent on 

 mating. I have observed no indication of struggle among them, and 

 the paired status seems finally to be arranged amicably. 



The only calls that I have heard from them are curious, grunting 

 notes uttered with little emphasis. From these, they are sometimes 

 known in Spanish as pdjaro chancho, or cerdito in reference to the 

 somewhat piglike sounds. As they fly about openly among dead 

 trees standing in fields and pastures they are well known among 

 country residents. In Mexico I have heard them called borreguitos, 

 little lambs, because of their light colors. 



The food of these birds is divided between insects of fair size, 

 that they often flutter out to seize from leaves, and the drupes of 

 trees which they visit in company with many other forest birds. 



As a species this cotinga is widely distributed from southern 

 Mexico to northern Argentina, Paraguay, and southeastern Brazil. 

 Two of the several geographic races that are recognized are found in 

 Panama. The species was described originally by Spix as "in Pro- 

 vincia Para." Pinto (Cat. Aves Brasil, pt. 2, 1944, p. 47) has restricted 

 the type locality to the region of Belem. 



The species is one of strong flight, seen regularly in passage over 

 forest and across wide open spaces. Though they are present on 

 Isla Coiba, and also on Isla Cebaco off the Pacific Coast, they have 

 not been recorded in the Archipielago de las Perlas, or on Isla Taboga 

 and the islands adjacent. 



TITYRA SEMIFASCIATA COSTARICENSIS Ridgway 



Tityra scmifasciata costariccnsis Ridgway, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, vol. 19, 

 September 6, 1906, p. 119. (Bonilla, Costa Rica.) 



