Swallow-tailed Cotinga Phibalura flavirostris Scientific name definitions

Although traditionally placed in the Cotingidae (1 Sclater, P. L. (1888). Catalogue of the Passeriformes in the Collection of the British Museum. Oligomyodae. Catalogue of the Birds in the British Museum. Volume 14. Trustees of the British Museum, London, UK. Close , 2 Hellmayr, C. E. (1929). Catalogue of birds of the Americas. Part VI. Field Museum of Natural History Zoological Series volume 13, part 6. Close ), the Swallow-tailed Cotinga was rather briefly considered to be of uncertain placement (“incertae sedis”) by the American Ornithologists’ Union South American Checklist Committee; finally, genetic data have confirmed that the species can be definitely aligned with other cotingas. While the genus Phibalura is usually considered to be monospecific, the subspecies boliviana of Apolo, Bolivia is sometimes split, including by BirdLife International, as a species separate from the nominate subspecies flavirostris of the Atlantic Forest biome of southeast Brazil, eastern Paraguay, and northeast Argentina; both taxa are under pressure due to habitat loss, and boliviana is currently considered Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Differences between them are relatively minor (and some are disputed) in plumage and morphometrics, but well marked in vocalizations and behavior; the sole genetic study to date yielded no discernible differences in their molecular make-up. The male Swallow-tailed Cotinga has a dark head with a pale, horn-colored bill, rusty-orange throat, green, black, and white spangled back, blackish wings, and blackish, forked, medium-length tail. The upper chest is white, edged with black; the lower belly is washed yellowish white. Females are similar but duller and less contrasting overall, with shorter tails.