Perissocephalus tricolor
Silhouette: Edwin Price · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~10%
The capuchinbird or calfbird (Perissocephalus tricolor) is a large passerine bird of the family Cotingidae. It is monotypic within the genus Perissocephalus. It is found in humid forests (up to 1,400 metres (4,600 ft) but mostly below 600 m) in north-eastern South America, almost entirely north of the Amazon River and east of Rio Negro (Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil and The Guianas).
The capuchinbird is a large thick-set suboscine passerine with a relatively heavy bill. Adults weigh between 340 and 420 grams (12 and 15 oz) and are typically around 40 centimetres (16 in) long, making it the largest suboscine passerine, apart from the Amazonian and long-wattled umbrellabirds – indeed, females average larger than any female umbrellabird. Its plumage is overall rich brown, approaching orange on the belly and undertail coverts, and the remiges and short tail are black. The most distinctive feature is its bare, almost vulture-like head covered in dull blue skin. Juveniles resemble adults, with the exception of some downy feathers on the head.
They gather in leks where they "sing". The "song" is very odd and difficult to describe accurately, although some have... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brownsberg Nature Park | 🇸🇷 Suriname | |
| 2 | Anavilhanas National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Diego Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Zlín-Lešná Zoo | 🇨🇿 Czechia | |
| 3 | Walsrode World Bird Park | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 4 | Parc des oiseaux | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 5 | Bird Paradise | 🇸🇬 Singapore | |
| 6 | Rainforest Wild Asia | 🇸🇬 Singapore | |
| 7 | National Aviary | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Dallas World Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Capuchinbird sighting in Anavilhanas National Park on a given day, based on 8 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 248th most-seen of the 291 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, if each day is a fresh chance.
March
In that month about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Capuchinbird in Anavilhanas National Park on a given day, against under 5% in April to February, the lowest months. That is one of Anavilhanas National Park's wettest months, with about 340 mm of rain against 75 mm in August.
Between 7 and 10 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Capuchinbird sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Among the best
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Capuchinbird sightings, Anavilhanas National Park ranks 2nd at under 5%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Brownsberg Nature Park (Suriname, under 5%).
Same family: Cotingidae
The closest relatives of the Capuchinbird that you can see in Anavilhanas National Park (family Cotingidae, Cotingas) are Screaming Piha (about 20%), Várzea Schiffornis (about 20%) and Bare-necked Fruitcrow (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Capuchinbird is recorded against all the birds logged in Anavilhanas National Park (8 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
