Scarlet-breasted Fruiteater Pipreola frontalis Scientific name definitions

Taxonomic note: Lump. This account is a combination of multiple species accounts originally published in HBW Alive. That content has been combined and labeled here at the subspecies level. Moving forward we will create a more unified account for this parent taxon. Please consider contributing your expertise to update this account.

This beautiful and distinctive fruiteater appears to be most closely related to the Fiery-throated Fruiteater (Pipreola chlorolepidota), and these two species exhibit rather extensive geographical overlap, although their altitudinal ranges are largely parapatric. The Scarlet-breasted Fruiteater is comparatively wide-ranging in the Andes, but is entirely confined to the east slope, from northern Ecuador locally south to northern Peru, and then reappears in central Peru and continues south to central Bolivia. Its elevational range occupies 670–2,300 m and the species inhabits foothill, premontane and montane forests, including their borders. Also interesting is that the two subspecies of Scarlet-breasted Fruiteater might merit specific status, as already speculated by some authors, given that their females are as different as in many other fruiteater species and their primary vocalisations also appear to differ as much as between other species of Pipreola.

Scarlet-breasted Fruiteater (squamipectus)

15·5–16·5 cm; male 38·5–45·8 g, female 39·5–47 g. Adult differs from formerly conspecific P. frontalis in wider bill, while has darker and less red on throat, and is generally scaled yellow and green from the throat to belly (i.e. it lacks a distinct throat patch), with more solidly green flanks and patchy yellow undertail-coverts (more solidly yellow in P. frontalis), while the forehead is only lightly spotted with yellow above the base of the bill. Juvenile undescribed.

Scarlet-breasted Fruiteater (frontalis)

15·5–16·5 cm; three males 42·5–44·3 g, one female 38 g. Male has green head, face darker bluish green, green upperparts, wings and tail, tertials with yellowish tips; large red patch on throat and breast, otherwise largely yellow below, green on flanks; iris pale yellow, sometimes orange-brown; bill and legs orange or orange-red to scarlet. Differs from sympatric P. chlorolepidota chiefly in colour of underparts. Female differs from male in having green head with some yellow on forehead and throat, breast nearly unmarked green, rest of underparts with more extensive green, giving scaled appearance around belly; also, bill and legs usually duller. Juvenile undescribed.

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Scarlet-breasted Fruiteater (squamipectus)

Scarlet-breasted Fruiteater (frontalis)

Scarlet-breasted Fruiteater (squamipectus)

E slope of Andes from N Ecuador (Napo) S to N Peru (S to San Martín).

Scarlet-breasted Fruiteater (frontalis)

E slope from C Peru (S from Cordillera Azul and Cerros del Sira) S to C Bolivia (W Santa Cruz).

Scarlet-breasted Fruiteater (squamipectus)

Midstorey and subcanopy of foothill, premontane and montane forests, more rarely at borders, from c. 670 m to 2300 m, but is uncommon above 1700 m and rare below 1000 m.

Scarlet-breasted Fruiteater (frontalis)

Midstorey and subcanopy of foothill, premontane and montane forests, more rarely at borders, mainly at 900–1575 m, occasionally to c. 2000 m.

Scarlet-breasted Fruiteater (squamipectus)

Scarlet-breasted Fruiteater (frontalis)

None recorded.

Scarlet-breasted Fruiteater (squamipectus)

Apparently only fruit; no details. Joins mixed-species flocks, especially those containing tanagers (Thraupidae). Usually found in pairs or alone, like others of genus.

Scarlet-breasted Fruiteater (frontalis)

Apparently only fruit; no details. Joins mixed-species flocks. Usually found in pairs or alone, like others of genus.

Scarlet-breasted Fruiteater (squamipectus)

Presumed song a short rising “tsweeet”, and also gives a very high-pitched, short “pseet”, with both vocalizations being scarcely one second in duration. Also very thin  , short “psiii”  .

Scarlet-breasted Fruiteater (frontalis)

Song a rising, high-pitched, thin, somewhat stuttering trill that descends over its final part, “ti, ti, ti, ti, ti, ti tseeeeeeeeeer”.

Scarlet-breasted Fruiteater (squamipectus)

One nest found in E Ecuador in Jan was a bowl-shaped structure c. 18 cm in diameter, made externally of moss and lichen, c. 15 m up astride fork of horizontal branch in subcanopy at forest edge; female on nest, but apparently no eggs or young (1 Aversa, T., and A. C. Vallely (1999). A nest of the Scarlet-breasted Fruiteater Pipreola frontalis in eastern Ecuador. Cotinga 12:70. Close ). A male on nest recorded in mid Feb, also in Ecuador, with another there in late Dec, and adults in breeding condition in late Sept.

Scarlet-breasted Fruiteater (frontalis)

Nothing known.

Scarlet-breasted Fruiteater (squamipectus)

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Poorly known. Considered uncommon to locally fairly common, but inconspicuous behaviour possibly obscures its true status. Occurs in Podocarpus National Park and Sumaco-Napo Galeras National Park, both in Ecuador.

Scarlet-breasted Fruiteater (frontalis)

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Poorly known. Considered uncommon to locally fairly common, but inconspicuous behaviour possibly obscures its true status. Recorded in several protected areas including Manu National Park and Biosphere Reserve, in Peru, and Madidi National Park, in Bolivia.