Red-ruffed Fruitcrow
A species of Red-ruffed Fruitcrow Scientific name : Pyroderus scutatus Genus : Red-ruffed Fruitcrow
Red-ruffed Fruitcrow, A species of Red-ruffed Fruitcrow
Botanical name: Pyroderus scutatus
Genus: Red-ruffed Fruitcrow
Content
Description General Info
Photo By Francesco Veronesi , used under CC-BY-SA-2.0 /Cropped and compressed from original 
Description
P. s. scutatus is the nominated subspecies with a glossy black back with some iridescence. A crimson patch is present covering the throat while some coverts are a dull chestnut. The feet are wholly black and the bill is a light grey. Females are almost identical, but slightly smaller and with a slightly duller ruff. P. s. orenocensis is more dull instead of the glossy black seen in P. s. scutatus. It also has a fully chestnut breast. P. s. granadensis has the same appearance as P. s. scutatus, but is significantly smaller with length 14 in, wing 8.5 in and tail 5 in. P. s. masoni is black above and a dull dark brown/chestnut below that turns mottled to black as it approaches the undertail coverts. The chin and chest are a crimson with a black strip dividing the bright chest from the chestnut belly. P. s. occidentalsis appears very similar to P. s. masoni, but the color is more bright and uniform with the chestnut belly complete instead of mottled. 
Size
36 - 46 cm
Feeding Habits
Red-ruffed Fruitcrow primarily consume fruit, supplemented by insects and lizards. Initially, nestlings are fed mostly insects and lizards, gradually shifting to predominantly fruit. Red-ruffed Fruitcrow's feeding behavior reflects this shift in diet over developmental stages, showcasing unique dietary adaptations.
Habitat
Red-ruffed Fruitcrow primarily inhabits humid forests including montane and lowland regions. These birds are found across a range of elevations, from 650 to 2700 meters depending on the subspecies, with each favoring various highland and forested environments. Their distribution encompasses disparate regions with dense forest covers such as the Andean slopes, the Tepuis, the Venezuelan Coastal Range, and the Atlantic Forest. While primarily residing in lush highland forests, red-ruffed Fruitcrow is also present in forest borders, the Amazon lowlands, and, to a lesser extent, drier forests. The species is additionally noted in habitats with introduced woodland species, such as ash adjacent to native forests.
Dite type
Frugivorous
General Info
Distribution Area
Its distribution is highly disjunct, with population associated with the Tepuis in Venezuela and Guyana, the east Andean slopes in Peru, Andean slopes in north-western Ecuador, Colombia and western Venezuela, the Venezuelan Coastal Range and the Atlantic Forest in south-eastern Brazil, eastern Paraguay and far north-eastern Argentina. It is found in humid forest, especially in highlands, but are also found in forest borders, Amazon lowlands, and in slightly drier forest. The largest population of P. s. scutatus can be found in the Atlantic Forest in SE Brazil. The high population is speculated due to a lack of competition in the area Other P. s. scutatus are found in east Paraguay and northeast Argentina in Misiones. P. s. orenocensis is only found in northeast Bolívar, a state in east Venezuela. P. s. granadensis lives in the Andes in Colombia and Venezuela. Specifically, it is found in the east Andes, eastern slope of the central Andes in Colombia, Serranía de Perijá, east of Distrito Federal along the mountains, and the Andes in Venezuela. P. s. masoni is located in the Andes of northern and central Peru. It has been recently confirmed in southeast Ecuador in Cordillera del Cóndor. P. s. occidentalsis is found in the west Andes in Colombia and in the western slope of the central Andes in Colombia to northwest Ecuador, specifically Imbabura, Carchi, and Santo Domingo de los Tsachilas.
Species Status
While generally a low-density species, it remains widespread and is locally not rare, but many of the populations are in decline, most likely due to habitat fragmentation and degradation of the ecosystem. BirdLife International and the IUCN has rated this species Least Concern, but P. s. scutatus is listed as endangered by many Brazilian states including Rio Grande do Sul, São Paulo, Minas Gerais, and Rio de Janeiro due to the deforestation of the Atlantic Forest. There is also a correlation between the decline of P. scutatus and the rapid reduction of seed size of palm fruit. With local extinctions of P. scutatus, less palm fruit seeds are being eaten, digested, and excreted, leading to a decline in the dispersal of the seeds and a rapid reduction of seed size of palm fruit.
Scientific Classification
Phylum
Chordates Class
Birds Order
Perching birds Family
Cotingas Genus
Red-ruffed Fruitcrow Species
Red-ruffed Fruitcrow 
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