Colombian Bird Guide

Andean Cock-of-the-rock

Rupicola peruvianus

Andean Cock-of-the-rock (Rupicola peruvianus)
Photo: Adam Rainoff · San José de las Hermosas, Chaparral, Tolima, Colombia. Read the story behind this photo.
  1. DD
  2. LC
  3. NT
  4. VU
  5. EN
  6. CR
  7. EW
  8. EX

Status: Least Concern Source: IUCN Red List

About the Andean Cock-of-the-rock

One of the signature birds of the Andes, this large, chunky cotinga lives in middle-elevation cloud forest and is Peru's national bird. Males glow crimson or orange, with black wings, silvery tertials and a big disk-shaped crest; females are a much darker brown, with a smaller crest and a pale, staring eye. Look for males at dawn display sites, where they squeal, jump and dance for females, or at fruiting trees; nests are built on rocks and cliff faces.

Sources: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0) · eBird

Where it has been recorded

6 records1 records438 records14 records73 records226 records1,571 records411 records2 records26 records85 records365 records23 records2 records1,895 records214 records76 records289 records103 records660 records30 records1,036 records10 records1 records2,098 records4,476 records19 records39 records98 records6 records21 records102 records2 records3 records7 records26 records1 records1 records7 records2 records9 records
fewmany records

14,474 geolocated records on a 1° grid · Source: GBIF

Residency

Resident · not a migrantNot endemic to Colombia

Source: BirdLife DataZone

Population trend

▼ Decreasing

Global trend · Source: BirdLife DataZone (IUCN Red List authority)

Recent sightings

165 places in the last 30 days

Latest: 2026-10-29 · Finca El Porvenir, Támesis

As of 2026-10-30 · Source: eBird

Best months by region

Andes
Pacific
Orinoquía
Amazon
JFMAMJJASOND
NoneVery lowLowMediumHighPeak

Bins = share of each region’s busiest month (0–20–40–60–80–100%); regions grouped by department · Source: GBIF

Lookalikes

Guianan Cock-of-the-rock
Guianan Cock-of-the-rockRupicola rupicolaNo range overlap (eBird)Photo: Almir Cândido de Almeida · CC BY 2.0

Taxonomy check

Name stable eBird, AviList, IOC and BirdLife agree

eBird name shown · Source: AviList, IOC, BirdLife name comparison

Records by Colombian department

23 of 33 departments

  1. Antioquia3,991 · 27%
  2. Risaralda2,164 · 15%
  3. Valle del Cauca1,986 · 14%
  4. Putumayo1,171 · 8%
  5. Huila903 · 6%
  6. Other

14,562 records · top departments up to 75% shown · Source: GBIF (department spellings merged)

Elevation

0 m591–2,600 m5,000 m

Middle 90% of 458 Colombian records with elevation · Source: GBIF

Listen

0:00 / 0:29

Call · El Carmen de Atrato, Chocó · 2025-02-27
Recording: Alain Verneau · xeno-canto XC1141731 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Top 10 places to see the Andean Cock-of-the-rock in Colombia

  1. RN Jardín de Rocas
    Jardín, Antioquia
    1,426 eBird observations, 817 in the last 3 years
  2. Avistamiento de Aves Doña Dora (El Descanso)
    Dagua, Valle del Cauca
    517 eBird observations, 418 in the last 3 years
  3. Reserva Los Guácharos
    Jardín, Antioquia
    193 eBird observations, 193 in the last 3 years
  4. Sendero La Herrera
    Jardín, Antioquia
    397 eBird observations, 217 in the last 3 years
  5. Las Tangaras ProAves Reserve
    El Carmen de Atrato, Chocó
    420 eBird observations, 162 in the last 3 years
  6. Reserva Natural La Isla Escondida
    Orito, Putumayo
    287 eBird observations, 112 in the last 3 years
  7. Camino Montezuma–Río Claro (acceso restringido)
    Pueblo Rico, Risaralda
    222 eBird observations, 127 in the last 3 years
  8. Camino Montezuma–Montezuma Rainforest Lodge (acceso restringido)
    Pueblo Rico, Risaralda
    205 eBird observations, 110 in the last 3 years
  9. Cascadas de Santa Rita
    Salento, Quindío
    102 eBird observations, 99 in the last 3 years
  10. RN Rio Bravo–Entrada
    Calima, Valle del Cauca
    128 eBird observations, 77 in the last 3 years
— 1 —