The bare-throated bellbird is a species of bird in the family Cotingidae. It is found in moist subtropical and tropical forests in Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay. The male has white plumage and bristly bluish-black bare skin around its eye, beak and throat. The female is more drab, being olive-brown above with streaked yellow underparts. The male has one of the loudest known bird calls, producing a metallic sound similar to a hammer striking an anvil. This bird feeds strictly on fruit and plays a part in dispersing the seeds of forest trees. It is considered Near Threatened because of loss of its forest habitat and collection for the pet bird trade
Region
Atlantic Forest of eastern South America
Typical Environment
Occurs in moist evergreen and semi-deciduous forests of Brazil, eastern Paraguay, and far northeastern Argentina (Misiones). Most frequent in primary and well-developed secondary forests, using the canopy and subcanopy. It can also appear at forest edges and in fruiting trees within partially fragmented landscapes. Distribution is patchy due to extensive habitat loss and fragmentation across the Atlantic Forest.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1500 m
Climate Zone
Subtropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The male bare-throated bellbird is famed for one of the loudest bird calls on Earth, a piercing metallic note that carries through the forest. It is an important seed disperser, swallowing fruits whole and depositing seeds far from the parent tree. The sexes look very different: males are stark white with bluish-black bare skin on the face and throat, while females are olive-brown with streaked yellow underparts.
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats between canopy perches
Social Behavior
Males call from exposed canopy perches and defend display sites to attract females. Courtship revolves around vocal displays rather than elaborate aerial shows. Nesting is typically handled by the female, which builds a small open cup nest in trees and raises the young with little to no male assistance.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A piercing, metallic, bell-like note delivered in repeated bursts, often compared to a hammer striking an anvil. At close range the call is astonishingly loud and can carry over long distances through the forest.
