Cock of the rock National Bird of Peru

The Beautiful Cock of the Rocks

The Cock of the Rocks that in Quechua is Tunki; It is remarkable for the incredible beauty of its plumage and the charming color it has, it is the “symbol bird of Peru” and that is why we will talk about this bird, its beauty, its particularity and everything related to it.

In popular culture:

The Cock of the Rocks is the “symbol bird of Peru” its exotic form is very popular, because its figure has been captured in engravings, paintings and photographs that are published everywhere, the figure of the cock is the symbol of the Sociedad Vallecaucana de Ornithology.

Taxonomy:

Gallito de las rocas, Gallito de las Sierras, Gallo de la Peña Andino, Tunqui, Gallito de monte, Berreador, Chaperón. The Latin name Rupicola Peruviana means “bird of the Peruvian or Peruvian rocks”.

The two species of the genus Rupicola are of uncertain affinity, some authors classify them within a family exclusive for both, Rupicolidae, while others include it within Cotingidae, according to the latest studies developed on the basis of mitochondrial DNA, they would be located within the Tyrannidae family.

Habitat:

It lives in the high humid forests of mist of the Amazon located in the Eastern slope of the Mountain range of the Andes from Venezuela happening through Colombia, Ecuador and Peru to Bolivia between the 400 and 2,500 msnm, better well-known like Yungas.

For decades the gallitos were found, not only in the neighborhoods of the Orinoco, but in the scrubland near the water, in the average and cold climates of the whole country, but their incomparable beauty and popularity turned them, since the beginning of the century past, as we read in the testimony of Humboldt, in birds persecuted by many.

At the moment it is suffering strong pressure of capture and traffic taking into account that a specimen can reach $ 5,000 (five thousand dollars) in the external illegal market. For these reasons, it can be considered that the roosters of the rocks are in danger of extinction, despite their current classification in the IUCN Red List.

Description

They present a marked sexual dimorphism, the male has a very colorful plumage, combination of orange and black. The females, in contrast, have a plumage of austere and dull color, dominated by shades of brown. The short beak, the legs and the fingers are strong, both sexes have a crest of permanently unfolded disc-shaped feathers (much larger in males). In spite of the bright colors in the males, they are usually difficult to observe when they are not in their fields of deployment, because they are rough and live in very deep waterfalls or in remote lowland hills.

Feeding

The Peruvian rock rooster feeds on a large number of wild fruits, which grow in large quantities in the mountain forest of the eastern Andean slopes.

Rock cocks are undoubtedly unique, but many of the most conspicuous birds in tropical forests are also eminently frugivorous. This is a consequence of the fact that between 50% and 80% of the trees in the Amazon forest produce fruit as a propagation mechanism. In addition to its proven abundance, additional factors such as the availability and diversity of wild fruits will determine that it is possible to find fruits at any season or season of the year, even if the quality of the food is not the same throughout the year.

In Peru it is found in several protected areas as national parks: Abiseo River, San Martin; Yanachaga – Chemillén, Pasco; Tingo María, Huánuco; and the National Park of Manu, Cusco – Madre de Dios. It is also found in vain protection forests: Alto Mayo, San Martín; San Matías – San Carlos, Pasco; and Pui-Pui, Junín.

The conservation of this species can attract important flows of tourists to the areas where it is found to observe it, and produce economic income to local people through tourism services.

Undeniable to be absorbed by such beauty, is a delight before our eyes this and the other natural wonders that we find in the beautiful country of Peru, remember to contact Waman Adventures a company with professionalism and experience, whose professionals will be accompanying you during your stay to do of your visit a memorable experience.