A band of trumpeteers

November 1, 2017

You’re walking to Cocha Lobo when you suddenly hear a strange sound coming from the forest. It almost sounds like a child playing with a toy car, the “brrrrrrrrmmm” echoing from the distance with a sharp “kak”. It isn’t long before you spot the first Pale-winged trumpeter meandering along the floor, occasionally stopping to flip leaves on the forest floor.

A pale-winged trumpter walking idly near one of the many trails available at Los Amigos. Photo credit: Jeff Blincow

The Pale-winged trumpeter have the rightfully chosen scientific name of Psophia leucoptera, which translates to one that makes loud noises (Psophia) and has white wings (leucoptera). These birds can be found at Los Amigos in both the floodplain and terra firme and commonly travel in flocks of 3-7 individuals. Although these birds are primarily ground dwelling, their nest is usually placed in a hollow tree trunk up to 11m high!

Besides these few facts, little else is known about the Pale-winged trumpeter, which makes future research so important.