The Guianan Cock of the Rock | Almir Cândido de Almeida [CC BY 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)]
Scientific Classification
The Guiana Cock of the Rock can be classified as ‘Rupicola rupicola’ whilst the Andean Cock of the Rock can be classified as Rupicola Peruviana.
Features
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- Cock of the Rock, an exceptionally brightly colored bird has a size of about 30 centimetres in length and weighs about 200 to 220 grams.
- Cocks-of-the-rock are stocky in body shape. The males are not only majestic birds because of their strong bright-orange or reddish colours which runs from their head to their tail, but also because of the very prominent fan-shaped crests they have. This semi-circular disc runs from the tip of its bill to the nape, and with red-orange tarsi.
- The female Cock of the Rock is smaller and possess a subtler more brownish color. She bears the combination of heavy body, broad-based bill, and crest making her instantly recognizable.
- Andean Cock-of-the-rock (Rupicola peruvianus)is similar in body shape, including the crest, and also has similar coloration. The plumage of male Andean is redder, less orange, and the male Andean has wings that are mostly black, lacking the orange tertial filaments of male Guianan. Female Andean is reddish brown, not gray.
- The legs of these birds are strong, thereby allowing them to grip onto steep cliffs and rocks.
- Cock of the Rock is adorned with delicate silky plumes on the lower back and scapulars, like fine orange peel, provoking comparisons with the birds-of-paradise. However, the male especially is unlikely to be confused with any other species due to it being entirely allopatric with the Andean Cock-of-the-rock and so do not come into contact.
Diet of the Cock of the Rock
The main food taken by the Guianan Cock of the Rock is fruit. They occasionally also take insects or small vertebrates such as small snakes and lizards.
When the Cock of the Rock eats fruit, it swallows many of the seeds whole and most of these are not damaged when they pass through its digestive system. Thus, many seeds remain capable of germinating when the Cock of the Rock defecates or regurgitates them at considerable distances from the parent trees. In this way, the Cock of the Rock plays an important role in dispersing seeds of many different species of forest trees.
Reproduction of the Cock of the Rock
Guianan cock-of-the-rock in Chenapau Village in Region Eight (Potaro/Siparuni) (Photo by Mariah Lall)
The Guianan Cock of the Rock is not used to bonding for long periods of time with its female counterpart. The female lays the eggs and rears the young with no assistance from the male. Further, the Guianan Cock-of-the-rock is polygynous, with a single male breeding with multiple females.
The Cock of the Rock have complex court behaviour, performing impressive displays to females visiting the lek. A lek is an area where animals, usually birds, gather to perform courtship displays. The males try to attract females with a call that sounds like a pig squealing. They also bob up and down, bow, and hop around to display their bright plumage..Females then pick the best to mate with.They build their nests with mud and plant material on steep rock faces above rivers and hence their common name. They then lay two eggs in it which are incubated for 28 days and the chicks are taken care exclusively by the females. The eggs are described as pale buff with various sized spots of shades from red-brown to pale lilac. Their courtship and nesting behaviour are said to increase the local plant diversity.
Habitat of the Cock of the Rock
Cock of the Rock are usually found in tropical and subtropical rainforests, next to rocky outcrops where they build their nests and make their habitats. Both species are said to be restricted to mountainous areas of northern South America
However, the loss of habitat, predominantly from forestland being converted to farmland, is a major threat to the survival of this brilliant bird.
Threats
Many predators are attracted to the cock-of-the-rock’s beautiful plumage. These include birds of prey such as eagles and hawks, puma and jaguars and even boa constrictors.
Watch: Guianan Cock-of-the-Rock (Video by Kester Clarke)
Cock of the rock in Guyana
As a popular inhabitant of the Kanukus and the Wai Wai District of Konashen in the southernmost part of Guyana , the beautiful, but elusive Cock of the Rock is one of the world’s most spectacular birds. Its fantastic plumage and colourful courtship displays equal those of any bird of paradise, according to some scientific observations.
And with their fascinating traits they are even used as tourism attractions, being displayed on stamps, posters and even phone cards locally. They are also proudly listed as one of the many birds which are a part of bird-watching activities.
Article References
- https://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/Species-Account/nb/species/gcoroc1/overview
- http://guyanainc.biz/daily-updates/the-guianan-cock-of-the-rock/
- http://www.landofsixpeoples.com/news702/nk0704293.html
