Conioptilon mcilhennyi
Silhouette: Edwin Price · PhyloPic
In 3 days <5% in a week ~10%
The black-faced cotinga (Conioptilon mcilhennyi) is a species of bird in the family Cotingidae. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, and Peru. The black-faced cotinga was first described by George Lowery and John O'Neill in 1966 and placed in a new genus. They assigned the specific epithet mcilhennyi to recognize John. S. McIlhenny, "who sponsored the Louisiana State University 1964-65 Peruvian Expedition" during which the first specimens were obtained. A large molecular phylogenetic study of the suboscines published in 2020 found that the black-faced cotinga was sister to the bare-necked fruitcrow (Gymnoderus foetidusi).
The black-faced cotinga remains the only member of genus Conioptilon and has no subspecies. The black-faced cotinga is 23 to 25 cm (9.1 to 9.8 in) long; three individuals weighed 81 to 89 g (2.9 to 3.1 oz). Adult males have a mostly black head and throat with a white crescent behind the ear coverts. Their upperparts are dark gray and their wings and tail an even darker gray. Their breast is a lighter gray that becomes white on the lower belly and undertail coverts. Almost unique among passerine birds, their unfeathered parts... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manu National Park | 🇵🇪 Peru | |
| 2 | Tambopata National Reserve | 🇵🇪 Peru |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Black-faced Cotinga sighting in Tambopata National Reserve on a given day, based on 41 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 412th most-seen of the 550 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to under 5%, and over a week to about 10%, if each day is a fresh chance.
Any time of year
In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Black-faced Cotinga in Tambopata National Reserve on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.
Between 8 and 11 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Black-faced Cotinga sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 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 Black-faced Cotinga sightings, Tambopata National Reserve ranks 2nd at under 5%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Manu National Park (Peru, under 5%).
Same family: Cotingidae
The closest relatives of the Black-faced Cotinga that you can see in Tambopata National Reserve (family Cotingidae, Cotingas) are Screaming Piha (about 20%), White-winged Becard (about 20%) and Purple-throated Fruitcrow (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Black-faced Cotinga is recorded against all the birds logged in Tambopata National Reserve (41 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.
