Pompadour Cotinga Extraordinarily Beautiful Bird You Might Not Have Heard About
Individuals of the Xipholena punicea are sexually dimorphic, with males displaying bright, complex colorization and females appearing more pale and grey. Males of this species have yellow eyes, stark white primary coverts with black wing tips, and a glossy, wine-red head and body. The distinguished burgundy color of the male individuals was previously thought to be a combination of blue structural color and red carotenoid, but recent experimentation has shown that this species of Cotingidae does not utilize structural coloration.This distinct colorization consists of pigments from 8 different carotenoids, 6 of which are unique to the Xipholena punicea species itself.