Andean Cock-of-the-rock Rupicola peruvianus Scientific name definitions

The spectacularly bizarre Andean Cock-of-the-rock is perhaps the most popularly recognized bird of the cloud forests of the Andes Mountains. The national bird of Peru, this species is readily identified by its fan-shaped crest and brilliant orange plumage, both of which are evident to a lesser degree even in the duller female. Males spend much of their time displaying at leks, where they jump up and down on particular branches and utter low, guttural croaks. The name is derived from their preference for rocks and ledges as substrates for their mud cup nests. Often difficult to detect away from leks, birds can sometimes be found feeding at fruiting trees. Distributed from Venezuela to Bolivia in the Andes, the Andean Cock-of-the-Rock does not co-occur with the similar Guianan Cock-of-the-rock of the Guianan Shield.

30·5–32 cm; one male 266 g, female 213–226 g (sanguinolentus). Plumage unmistakable; bill strong, and wide at base, becoming laterally compressed towards tip, rictal bristles absent, legs and feet strong, claws large and well hooked. Adult male nominate race has distinctive crest formed by two rows of fluffy feathers, ventral surfaces of which meet along midline to form semicircular casque; bright orange head, body and majority of lesser upperwing-coverts; rest of upperwing and whole tail jet-black, except for grey tertials (with mostly concealed darker bases); inner secondaries very broad and square-ended; p10 with long slender tip, notched where tip joins expanded portion of inner vane; iris pale dull orange-pink with yellow inner ring; bill intense golden-yellow; legs yellow. Female is dark chestnut-brown , blacker on throat and wings, crest  smaller than male’s, eyes pale blue to whitish, bill blackish, legs grey. Immature female is like adult; immature male similar but more orange, bird bred in captivity acquired adult male plumage at 15 months (perhaps unnaturally early, owing to unnatural social environment), but some acquire subadult plumage with body feathers olive-washed and modified secondaries not of fully adult type. Races vary mainly in depth and shade of pigmentation of male’s plumage, extent of grey on inner secondaries, and eye colour, female varying in parallel: sanguinolentus male has body plumage blood-red, eyes deep red with yellow inner ring, female eyes light red with grey inner ring or pinkish grey-brown; <em>aequatorialis</em> is bright orange , somewhat variable, has grey of inner secondaries restricted, eyes bright yellow or orange-yellow with yellow inner ring, female eyes whitish to brown; saturatus is deep orange-red, eyes usually pale blue to whitish with pale orange-yellow inner ring, female eyes sometimes brown.

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Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Montane forest , especially in ravines and along streams; 500–2400 m.

No long-distance movements reported; individuals range some distance from restricted breeding habitat, presumably while foraging.

Fruit, large insects, and small vertebrates. Fruits of many plant families and species recorded, those of Lauraceae, Annonaceae and Rubiaceae being especially important; fruits plucked mainly in flight. Small lizards and frogs form significant part of food brought to nestlings; these are beaten against branch, macerated in bill, and presented to nestling head first.

Male call  at lek a loud “youii”, less raucous than that of R. rupicola, also a clucking, long-continued “kip-kip-kip”  . Foraging birds, of both sexes, may utter loud, querulous “uankk” when disturbed.

Little exact information for most of range. Breeding mainly in Feb–Jul in S Colombia and laying in Aug in Ecuador and Bolivia, but probably not well synchronized in low-latitude populations; onset of moult (presumably post-breeding) in Oct–Jan S of 10° S, indicating breeding in second half of year. Male displays at communal lek with up to 15 or more others, each with perch 4–6 m above ground, males in pairs, each bird performing ritualized bowing and head-bobbing displays towards the other, with much jumping, wing-flapping, bill-snapping and calling; displaying intense when females approach. Nest a bracket-like structure generally in shape of truncated cone, mainly of mud, concave cup lined with coarse vegetable fibres  , attached 3–12 m above ground to rock face, once under concrete bridge; often groups of nests relatively close together. Clutch 2 eggs; incubation period 28 days; fledging period 42 to at least 48 days.

Not globally threatened. CITES II. Uncommon to locally common or fairly common; generally local or very local. Large lek exists near Cock-of-the-rock Lodge , in Peru. Occurs in several protected areas, e.g. Cueva de los Guácharos National Park, in Colombia, Podocarpus National Park, in Ecuador, and Machu Picchu Historical Sanctuary, in Peru. Preference for steep, thickly vegetated ravines and streamsides ensures little human disturbance. The “National Bird” of Peru.