3l6 BIRDS OF THE REPUBLIC OF PANAMA PART 3 



and across the open savannas of southern Code. The National 

 Museum has a male from Chorrera, eastern Province of Panama and 

 others from northern Canal Zone (K-6 Road). Beyond this I have 

 found it on the Cerro Azul, near Chepo (in the San Antonio area on 

 the eastern side of the Rio Mamoni), at El Llano, Cafiita, Chiman, 

 and at 300 meters elevation on Cerro Chucanti, near the base of the 

 Serrania de Maje. From near Chepo to Cerro Chucanti the range 

 overlaps that of Pipra e. erythrocephala for a distance of 100 

 kilometers. 



On the Caribbean slope it is found from near the Costa Rican 

 boundary in Bocas del Toro east through northern Veraguas, 

 northern Code, western Colon, the lower Chagres Valley in the 

 Canal Zone, and the eastern Province of Panama, eastern Colon 

 (Frijolito, Puerto Pilon, Portobelo), and western Comarca de San 

 Bias (Mandinga). Record of a female from Cana, Darien, by Gris- 

 com (Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., vol. 69, 1929, p. 179; idem, vol. 78, 

 p. 343) was in error, as the specimen which I have examined is Pipra 

 e. erythrocephala. 



The birds of central Panama have been listed previously as minor 

 but may not be separated from ignifera. As noted below true minor 

 differs in bill size and other characters. 



In western Panama the males are called aji, because of the head 

 which has the color of a ripe hot pepper. 



This mainly is a forest species, ranging in the upper level of the 

 undergrowth, but seems adaptable to some degree as at times it is 

 found also in open areas in thickets and second growth. The food 

 consists of berries and a variety of insects, including small caterpillars. 

 The birds may come at times to the taller feeding trees, but more 

 usually find their food at lower levels. They flutter out among the 

 leaves to seize a berry or some insect prey, and then return to a perch. 

 Larger insects are beaten to prepare them to be swallowed. During 

 the nesting season, males, females, and fully grown young males in 

 immature plumage may gather in scattered company. In the breeding 

 season, from December to May, adult males choose display perches in 

 forest, elevated from 5 to 10 meters above the ground. Such vantage 

 points are occupied for much of the day. Several males may locate 

 within sight of one another. Here the females visit them, as these 

 birds do not join in pairs. While the visit of a female may stimulate 

 display activity in other males nearby, these remain on their individual 

 perches, the choice of mate apparently being that of the female. 



