Sira barbet

The Sira barbet (Capito fitzpatricki) is a bird inhabiting the remote eastern Andes of Ucayali Department, Peru, that was discovered on a 2008 expedition. It occurs in genetic isolation due to the isolated geography of its home range along a ridge of montane cloud forest in the southern portion of the Cerros del Sira.[2] Eight specimens were collected from the upper Río Shinipo 10°31′48″S 74°07′12″W and Río Tzipani valleys 10°41′24″S 74°05′56″W, and a further two at Quebrada Quirapokiari 10°25′12″S 74°09′00″W in July 2011.[2]

Sira barbet
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Piciformes
Family: Capitonidae
Genus: Capito
Species:
C. fitzpatricki
Binomial name
Capito fitzpatricki
Seeholzer et al., 2012[2]
● collection localities
Synonyms

Capito wallacei fitzpatricki

Some taxonomic authorities (including the American Ornithological Society) consider a subspecies of the scarlet-banded barbet, although some taxonomists do place it as a distinct species. The Sira barbet is distinguished from it by differences in morphology and plumage,[2] particularly the color on the bird's flanks, lower back and thighs, and a wider, darker scarlet breast band. DNA sequencing was also used to confirm the Sira barbet's status as a distinct species.[3]

Males are on average smaller than females, and lack the red and yellow scapular pigmentation. Their crown and flanks are also a more saturated red. They have a low-pitched purred song, but more commonly emit a Tityra-like grunt. Quiet, low-pitched groans and clucks are emitted from their roost cavities.[2]

They occur in a narrow elevational zone around 1,100 m on moist ridges adjacent to the drier eastern lowlands, and are absent at 2,000 m. They frequent the highest stratum of tall (up to 30 m) montane forest with arboreal epiphytes and moss, above a sparsely vegetated understory.[2] Its range is sympatric and syntopic with that of the gilded barbet, and coincides with the boundary and sections of the Sira Communal Reserve.[2]

The bird's epithet commemorates John W. Fitzpatrick, an expert for the Peruan avifauna and director of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

References
  1. BirdLife International (2012). "Capito fitzpatricki". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2012. Retrieved 26 November 2013.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  2. Seeholzer, GF; BM Winger; MG Harvey; D Caceres; JD Weckstein (2012). "A new species of barbet (Capitonidae: Capito) from the Cerros Del Sira, Ucayali, Peru" (PDF). Auk. 12 (3): 551–559. doi:10.1525/auk.2012.11250. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-09-07.
  3. Science Daily, (Aug. 6, 2012) New Bird Species Discovered in 'Cloud Forest' of Peru.


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