How do you identify a Snowy Cotinga?

The snowy cotinga is 19.5 to 21 cm (7.7 to 8.3 in) long and weighs an average of 105 g (3.7 oz). Full identification notes are on this page.

How big is a Snowy Cotinga?

The Snowy Cotinga is a medium sized bird weighing about 102 g.

Where can you see a Snowy Cotinga?

The Snowy Cotinga occurs in 4 countries, including Costa Rica, Panama, Nicaragua and Honduras.

What birds look similar to a Snowy Cotinga?

The Snowy Cotinga is most easily confused with the Black-tipped Cotinga and the Yellow-billed Cotinga.

Is the Snowy Cotinga endangered?

The Snowy Cotinga is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Snowy Cotinga

Carpodectes nitidus

Cotingas · Passeriformes · Rare

The Snowy Cotinga (Carpodectes nitidus) is a rare cotinga found in 4 countries, weighing about 102 g. The snowy cotinga is a medium-sized species of passerine bird in the family Cotingidae.

Least ConcernRareEats fruitforestcup nest102 g

Snowy Cotinga (Carpodectes nitidus), photo 1 — Photo: Tommy Andriollo · http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Snowy Cotinga (Carpodectes nitidus), photo 2 — Photo: er-birds · http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Snowy Cotinga (Carpodectes nitidus), photo 3 — Photo: er-birds · http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Snowy Cotinga (Carpodectes nitidus), photo 4 — Photo: Bale & Danielsson; Bannwarth, Th.; Cambridge Scientific Instrument Company; Godman, Frederick Du Cane; Hanhart; Horman-Fisher, Maud; Knight, H.; Mintern Bros.; Purkiss, W.; Salvin, Osbert; Saunders, G. S.; Schlereth, M. v.; Sharp, M. A.; Taylor & Francis; Wilson, Edwin · Public domain

Snowy Cotinga (Carpodectes nitidus), photo 5 — Photo: cricketsblog · CC BY 2.0

Snowy Cotinga (Carpodectes nitidus), photo 6 — Photo: er-birds · http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Snowy Cotinga (Carpodectes nitidus), photo 7 — Photo: er-birds · http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Snowy Cotinga (Carpodectes nitidus), photo 8 — Photo: er-birds · http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Snowy Cotinga (Carpodectes nitidus), photo 9 — Photo: er-birds · http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Snowy Cotinga (Carpodectes nitidus), photo 10 — Photo: er-birds · http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

About the Snowy Cotinga

The snowy cotinga is a medium-sized species of passerine bird in the family Cotingidae. It is found in Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama.

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

How to identify it

The snowy cotinga is 19.5 to 21 cm (7.7 to 8.3 in) long and weighs an average of 105 g (3.7 oz). The species is sexually dimorphic. Adult males are mostly white with a light bluish gray crown and a very light bluish gray wash on their upperparts and wings. Their flight feathers are wide and have rounded tips. Adult females have a brownish gray head and upperparts with a darker crown. Their tail is blackish. Their wings are mostly blackish with white to grayish white edges on the coverts and inner flight feathers. Voice: As of October 2025 xeno-canto had one recording of a snowy cotinga call; the Cornell Lab's Macaulay Library had no recordings. One author has described the call as "2–6 rapidly repeated notes, between chü and chee".

Where it lives

Costa Rica Panama Nicaragua Honduras

When to see it

Best months: January, February, March, April, May, July, October, November, December, with peak activity in March. It is a variable species across most of its range.

Easily confused with

Quick questions

How do you identify a Snowy Cotinga?: The snowy cotinga is 19.5 to 21 cm (7.7 to 8.3 in) long and weighs an average of 105 g (3.7 oz). Full identification notes are on this page.
How big is a Snowy Cotinga?: The Snowy Cotinga is a medium sized bird weighing about 102 g.
Where can you see a Snowy Cotinga?: The Snowy Cotinga occurs in 4 countries, including Costa Rica, Panama, Nicaragua and Honduras.
What birds look similar to a Snowy Cotinga?: The Snowy Cotinga is most easily confused with the Black-tipped Cotinga and the Yellow-billed Cotinga.
Is the Snowy Cotinga endangered?: The Snowy Cotinga is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Learn the Snowy Cotinga for real

BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.

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