About Phibalura flavirostris Vieillot, 1816
The swallow-tailed cotinga (Phibalura flavirostris Vieillot, 1816) measures 18 to 20 cm (7.1 to 7.9 in) in length and weighs 43 to 60 g (1.5 to 2.1 oz). Males and females have different plumage, but both share the species' characteristic long, forked divided tail. Adult females have a mottled black and gray forehead, and a pale gray to grayish brown crown that usually has a concealed dull red streak down its center. Their nape is blackish with broken white bars. Most of their upperparts are dull olive, with bright yellow that creates a scaly pattern. Their uppertail coverts are mostly olive-yellow marked with dark streaks. Their wings are mostly blackish brown with an olive green wash along feather edges. The upper side of the tail is blackish brown, and its underside is grayish. Tail feathers have yellow edges that become smaller from the innermost to outermost feathers. Their lores are mottled gray and blackish, and their ear coverts range variably from gray to blackish, with a wide white stripe running below the ear coverts. Their throat is medium yellow with gray-brown spots. The rest of their underparts are a mix of blotched white and yellow, with brownish black to black feather tips that form horizontal bars. Adult males are overall brighter and have bolder markings than females. Their crown is dark navy blue with a mostly concealed crimson-red center. Their upperparts are yellowish to canary-yellow with navy blue barring. Their wings are deep bluish black with no olive wash. Their tail is black with less yellow than the female's tail, and its outer feathers are longer and more curved. Their lores and ear coverts are blackish blue, and form a dark 'mask'. Their underparts are a brighter yellow than those of females. Both sexes have a deep red-brown iris, with bare red skin surrounding the eye. Their bill is very short with a wide base, and is colored pale straw, pinkish white, or white. Their legs and feet are usually orange-yellow, but can also range from ochre-yellow to bluish white. This species has an unusual disjunct distribution. It occurs in southeastern Brazil, where it is found mostly from central Bahia, central Minas Gerais, and Espírito Santo south to Rio Grande do Sul, and extends into Misiones Province in northeastern Argentina. Its named range includes eastern Paraguay, but there have been no recorded sightings there since the late 1900s. A small separate population is located in Goiás, Brazil. The swallow-tailed cotinga lives in somewhat open landscapes, including the edges of large forests, partially wooded areas, meadows and roadsides with scattered trees, and gardens. It occurs at elevations ranging from sea level up to 2,000 m (6,600 ft).
