Identification
One of Earth’s rarest and most sought-after birds. It inhabits humid forest in the coastal mountains of southeastern Brazil, and may now be extinct. Apart from a series of sightings in October 1996 near Teresópolis in the state of Rio de Janeiro, this tiny and colorful bird has not been reliably documented since the 1800s. Recent unverified reports have also come from other areas in the coastal range in the neighboring state of São Paulo. Plumage is mostly yellowish-olive, with a fiery red crest bordered by a black stripe, and white wingbars. Other features include a very short bill, white tips to the inner wing feathers, and a yellow rump that is usually hidden by the wings. The few living observers have reported that it tended to perch in treetops with a notably vertical posture. Its voice is unknown.