Masked Saltator

The Maskensaltator ( Saltator cinctus ) is a species of bird in the genus Saltatoren ( Saltator ). The stock is assessed by the IUCN as Near Threatened ( Near Threatened ).

Features

The Maskensaltator reaches a body length of about 21.5 centimeters. The beak is black, but has highly varying red components. In some birds it is even quite red. The iris also varies from orange to yellow. The Obserseite is mostly blue-gray. The facial area and the throat are black, something like a black mask acts. The breast is white and framed in black. The rest of the base is white. The lateral flanks and rump are gray, where in the rump also has white areas. The gray tail is strongly graded. The outer tail feathers have white spots.

Distribution and habitat

The bird is found on the eastern slopes of the Andes of Peru and Ecuador and in the Central Andes of Colombia in the humid mountain forests. In Ecuador, he has been in the Cordillera de Cutucú in the province of Morona Santiago, Cordillera de Huacamayos in the west of the province of Napo, in Poducarpus National Park and directly adjacent Cordillera de Sabanilla in the province of Zamora Chinchipe, in the valley of the Río Angashcola in the south of the province Loja and observed in the valley of the Río Isimanchi in the Cordillera Las Lagunillas. In Peru, it is present in the regions of Piura, Cajamarca, Amazonas and Huanuco. In Colombia, it occurs in the provinces of Quindio and Tolima. The bird moves mainly in the low vegetation of the humid mountain forests.

Behavior

Relatively little is known about the behavior of the bird, because he is very shy. It can be observed as a loner and in pairs in the wild. It feeds among others the fruits of Podocarpus ( Podocarpus ). Some authors describe a taste of the bird for a bamboo called Chusquea. However, this has not yet been clearly demonstrated.