FAMILY COTINGID^E 



The cotingas are also closely related to the 

 manakins. A varied assemblage of species 

 ranging from very small ones to birds the 

 size of a jay are comprised in the family, 

 which includes some very remarkable tropical 

 birds, such as the Umbrella bird, Bell bird 

 and Cock-of-the-rock. The typical cotingas 

 are forest birds, some of them with very 

 beautiful plumage, that frequent the tops of 

 the tallest trees in pairs or small groups and 

 are usually of very restless disposition. Most 

 of them have characteristic and sometimes 

 very beautiful notes. Unlike their relatives, 

 the flycatchers, they feed on the fruits of 

 forest trees to a large extent. This is one of 

 the most interesting families to the bird 

 student, but one difficult to become familiar 

 with, on account of the forest haunts, wari- 

 ness and rarity of many of the species. 



Key to the Cotingas 



a. With spots or streaks. 



b. Plumage brown, the feathers tipped with whitish 



or buff forming scale-like spots 



Cotinga nattereri, female 



bb. Olive above, with rump yellow; below yellow with 



olive streaks (resembling flycatcher) 



Attila brasiliensis sclateri, sexes similar 



aa. Neither spotted nor streaked. 



b Plumage bright blue with black throat and a purple 

 patch on abdomen Cotinga nattereri, male 



bb. With no blue in plumage. 



c. Large and heavy birds, plumage uniform black. 



d. Throat with wine colored patch 



Querula purpurata, male 



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