The hooded berryeater is a species of bird in the family Cotingidae, the cotingas. It is endemic to Brazil.
Region
Atlantic Forest of southeastern Brazil
Typical Environment
Primarily inhabits humid evergreen Atlantic Forest, including secondary growth and forest edges with abundant fruiting trees. It favors midstory to subcanopy strata, often perching quietly near fruit sources. The species occurs patchily but can be locally common in protected tracts. It tolerates some disturbance if fruiting trees remain, yet relies on continuous or semi-continuous forest cover. Presence is strongest in ranges such as the Serra do Mar and adjacent foothills.
Altitude Range
200–1500 m
Climate Zone
Subtropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
A member of the cotinga family, the hooded berryeater is a secretive fruit specialist of Brazil’s Atlantic Forest. Males show a striking dark hood that contrasts with their yellow underparts, while females are duller. It often remains motionless in the midstory, giving clear, whistled calls that can sound ventriloquial. Habitat loss in the Atlantic Forest affects local populations, though the species remains fairly widespread where suitable forest persists.
Temperament
shy and unobtrusive
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with brief glides between perches
Social Behavior
Usually solitary or in pairs, sometimes joining mixed-species flocks at fruiting trees. Pairs maintain small territories during the breeding season. The nest is a small, open cup placed on a horizontal fork in the midstory. Both parents likely contribute to care, as in many cotingas.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Song consists of clear, mellow whistles and brief phrases, often repeated from a concealed perch. Calls can be ventriloquial, making the bird seem farther away than it is.
Plumage
Male with a dark, hooded head contrasting with olive-green upperparts and bright yellow underparts; female is greener with a duller, less defined hood. Plumage is smooth and largely unpatterned, emphasizing the contrast between hood and body. Wings and tail are olive to dusky-olive without bold wingbars.
Diet
Primarily consumes a variety of soft fruits and berries from native forest trees and shrubs. It also takes small arthropods opportunistically, especially when feeding young. Foraging is typically sit-and-wait, with short sallies to pluck fruit. Seasonal availability of fruit influences movements within home ranges.
Preferred Environment
Feeds in the midstory and subcanopy at fruiting trees within mature and secondary Atlantic Forest. Will visit forest edges and gaps with dense fruiting shrubs. Less commonly descends to the understory except where fruit is abundant.
