Green-and-black Fruiteater (Pipreola riefferii)

Ampelis Riefferii Boissonneau, 1840, "Bogotá", Colombia.Closely related to P. intermedia, and has been treated as conspecific; in addition to differences in plumage (especially tail colour), however, the two overlap in range in C Peru and in some areas occur together, although they differ in attitudinal range. Distinctive race tallmanorum, from outlying mountains E of main Andean range, may merit species status. Race confusa possibly better merged with chachapoyas. Six subspecies recognized (Snow 2004).

Diagnostic description
Male Male nominate race has

• hood blackish-green down to chest,
• collar hood bordered by yellow (except on nape)
• nape -
  • green above
  • white tips of tertials
  • yellow below
  • green streaks increasingly denser towards flanks
• iris - dark red-brown;
• bill - bright red;
• legs - red or orange-red

Distinguished from similar P. intermedia mainly by plainer tail and less patterned underparts.Female

• no hood or collar, has
• head and forebody to breast plain green

Juvenile

• is dark olive-green above
• dull olive with yellow streaks below;
• adult plumage apparently acquired soon after fledging

Other races
Races differ mainly in

• size
• shade of hood and amount of
• green markings on underparts of male

Melanolaema has more

• contrasting wings, more
• solid yellow on central underparts
• male hood glossy black (not greenish)
• female has ill-defined yellow collar

Other species

• occidentalis male has throat and chest washed greenish, pale tertial tips less marked
• chachapoyas is small, male hood black, underparts well marked with green streaks
• confusa is like last, but male with more greenish upper breast and more strongly marked central underparts
• tallmanorum is smallest, has brighter red eyes, male has glossiest black hood, unmarked yellow lower breast and belly, female lower underparts broadly streaked green (Snow 2004)

Rights Holder: Natural History Museum, London