A large, plump, very handsomely patterned bird covered in highly attractive shades of yellow and olive green creates a stunning ocellated effect.

Meet the Scaled fruiteater

The scaled fruiteater (Ampelioides tschudii), is a species of bird in the Cotingidae family. The only member of the Ampelioides genus, this bird measures 19 cm in length. A plump bird with a robust bill and short tail, the male has a black head, loruns, and an off-white “mustache” like band. There is a pale yellow ring around the neck, upperpart feathers are a bright olive, centered in black, giving them a scaly appearance. Wings are mostly black, the greater coverts olive, forming a broad band.

The throat is whitish, changing to yellow, with the feathers bordered by a broad olive giving an ocellated effect.

The female has an olive head with her belly feathers widely scaled with black, making her more attractive still.

This bird is endemic to and found in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela. Rare in the middle stratum and sub-canopy of low-altitude mountain forests, this bird is found mainly between 900 and 2000 meters in altitude.

Scaled fruiteaters hop along horizontal branches hunting insects, as well as looking for and eating fruit. They have also been observed sometimes eating snails.

Little has been recorded regarding the breeding habits of this bird.

Due to this bird’s large range, even with the recent population decline, its population does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable on the ICUN list.

Watch this bird right here in the video below: