Photo: Greg Schechter from San Francisco, USA / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Rufous Piha
Lipaugus unirufus
Rufous Piha (Lipaugus unirufus) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Central America & Caribbean.
Found across 6 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Rufous Piha (Lipaugus unirufus) is a member of the Cotingidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and South America. Adults weigh 82.1 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Cotingidae Cotingas
- Genus Lipaugus
- Species unirufus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 82.1 g
- Diet
- Fruit-eaters
- Family
- Cotingidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Critically Endangered
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Rufous Piha is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Rufous Piha is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Rufous Piha (Lipaugus unirufus) is a species of bird in the Cotingidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Central America & Caribbean and South America. Its distribution covers MA, SA s Mexico to nw Ecuador.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 82.1 g, with a wing length of about 13.2 cm and a tail of around 11.2 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 462,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Rufous Piha?
The Rufous Piha is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 82.1 g.
Where does the Rufous Piha live?
The Rufous Piha is found across Central America & Caribbean and South America with a range covering MA, SA s Mexico to nw Ecuador, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Rufous Piha belong to?
The Rufous Piha (Lipaugus unirufus) belongs to the Cotingidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Rufous Piha eat?
The Rufous Piha is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Does the Rufous Piha migrate?
The Rufous Piha is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Rufous Piha endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Rufous Piha make?
1 real field recording of the Rufous Piha — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Rufous Piha's range?
The Rufous Piha has a mapped global range of about 462,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
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