The three-wattled bellbird is a Central American migratory bird of the cotinga family. The sexes are very dissimilar in appearance. The male has a white head and throat and the remaining plumage is chestnut brown. From the base of his beak dangle three long, slender, black wattles that he uses in display. The female has olive plumage with yellowish streaked underparts and a yellow vent area.
Region
Central America
Typical Environment
Breeds mainly in montane cloud forests from northern Costa Rica into western Panama, with smaller numbers ranging north to Nicaragua and Honduras. During the nonbreeding season it descends and shifts into lower-elevation Caribbean and Pacific foothills and lowlands where fruit is abundant. It favors mature cloud forest, mossy ridges, and adjacent secondary forest, but will also forage in fruiting trees along edges and clearings. Movement patterns follow seasonal fruiting of Lauraceae and other canopy trees.
Altitude Range
100–2400 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Famed for one of the loudest bird calls on Earth, the male’s bell-like notes carry for kilometers through the forest. Males display from exposed perches, flicking their three long black wattles dramatically during courtship. This species is an important disperser of large-seeded laurels and wild avocados, helping regenerate tropical forests.
Male (left) and female (right)
Taxidermied male specimen (in living individuals, the three elongated wattles typically hang loosely down beside the bill)
Male in Costa Rica
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
strong flier with short, direct canopy flights
Social Behavior
Males defend prominent singing perches in dispersed (exploded) leks and perform visual displays while calling. Nesting is a simple cup placed high in trees; the female builds the nest, incubates, and raises the young largely alone. Pairs are seasonal and tied to local fruit availability.
Migratory Pattern
Seasonal migrant
Song Description
The male’s song is a piercing, metallic bell-like 'BONK' often preceded by harsh buzzy notes. Calls are extremely loud and can be heard over long distances through cloud forest valleys.
