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Rufous Piha

Lipaugus unirufus

Least Concern · IUCN Red List

LCLeast ConcernInvertebratesForestPlatform nestMedium · 82 g
Rufous Piha (Lipaugus unirufus), photo 1
Photo: Daniel Ghyselinck · CC BY 4.0
Rufous Piha (Lipaugus unirufus), photo 2
Photo: Eric Klug · CC BY 4.0
Rufous Piha (Lipaugus unirufus), photo 3
Photo: Eric Knight · CC BY 4.0
Rufous Piha (Lipaugus unirufus), photo 4
Photo: Anthony Batista · CC BY 4.0
Rufous Piha (Lipaugus unirufus), photo 5
Photo: tomas_kay · CC BY 4.0
Rufous Piha (Lipaugus unirufus), photo 6
Photo: Adam Jackson · CC0
Rufous Piha (Lipaugus unirufus), photo 7
Photo: Roger A. Morales-Flores · CC BY 4.0
Rufous Piha (Lipaugus unirufus), photo 8
Photo: er-birds · CC BY 4.0
Rufous Piha (Lipaugus unirufus), photo 9
Photo: Trevor Van Loon · CC BY 4.0
Rufous Piha (Lipaugus unirufus), photo 10
Photo: Trevor Van Loon · CC BY 4.0

What the Rufous Piha sounds like

Sonogram of the Rufous Piha: time runs left to right, pitch bottom to top, and the brighter the mark the louder the sound.
Recorded by Niels Krabbe · Call · Esmeraldas: 18.5 road km NNW Alto Tambo, Ecuador · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via xeno-canto
Sonogram of the Rufous Piha: time runs left to right, pitch bottom to top, and the brighter the mark the louder the sound.
Recorded by Niels Krabbe · Call, chase calls · Esmeraldas: right bank Rio Santiago, above Estero Pote 7 km E Playa de Oro, Ecuador · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via xeno-canto
Sonogram of the Rufous Piha: time runs left to right, pitch bottom to top, and the brighter the mark the louder the sound.
Recorded by Niels Krabbe · Call · Esmeraldas: 18.5 road km NNW Alto Tambo, Ecuador · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via xeno-canto

ID tip

The rufous piha is 22 to 26 cm (8.7 to 10 in) long; six individuals weighed 79 to 97 g (2.8 to 3.4 oz). The sexes have the same plumage. Adults of the nominate subspecies have a rufous crown with thin, somewhat lighter, streaks. The rest of their face and their upperparts are deep cinnamon brown. Their wings and tail are deep cinnamon brown with deep ochraceous buff inner webs on the remiges. Their underparts are buffy cinnamon that is darker and duller on the breast. Subspecies L. u. castaneotinctus has darker, more chestnut cinnamon upperparts than the nominate. Voice: The calls of the nominate subspecies of the rufous piha are described as "a very loud, scratchy, electric-sounding WIIII'WERRRE! or Peuuur-WIIII'WERRRRE!, or just a single peeuuurr". Those of subspecies L. u. castaneotinctus are similar, "a variety of loud and explosive whistled calls, e.g., peeeéuw, wheeeéo, and chow-eeéo" that are sometimes given in a short series.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

When to see the Rufous Piha

One bar for each month. Filled bars are the 11 months with records; pale bars are months with none. The wide bar is March, the month with the most records.

Where to see the Rufous Piha

Regular range

The map shades 9 countries with regular records. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.

Costa Rica Panama Colombia Belize Guatemala Mexico Ecuador Nicaragua Honduras

About the Rufous Piha

The rufous piha is a species of bird in the family Cotingidae, the cotingas. Its range extends from southern Mexico throughout Central America and the Chocó-Magdalena region.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Easily confused with

Dusky Piha (Lipaugus fuscocinereus) Dusky PihaLipaugus fuscocinereusThe dusky piha is the largest member and has the longest tail of genus Lipaugus. Black-and-gold Cotinga (Lipaugus ater) Black-and-gold CotingaLipaugus aterThe black-and-gold cotinga is 25 to 28 cm (9.8 to 11 in) long. Cinnamon-vented Piha (Lipaugus lanioides) Cinnamon-vented PihaLipaugus lanioidesThe cinnamon-vented piha is 25 to 28 cm (9.8 to 11 in) long and weighs 85 to 110 g (3.0 to 3.9 oz).

Side by side: Rufous Piha vs Screaming Piha · Bare-necked Fruitcrow vs Rufous Piha · Red-ruffed Fruitcrow vs Rufous Piha · Dusky Piha vs Rufous Piha

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