The first time I encountered a Dusky Piha was during a solo birding trip in the breathtaking Cocora Valley. Indeed, I remember that morning well. I was heading down the familiar trail towards Acaime, “the hummingbird house” – a spot many of you might have visited with me or one of the Pajareros’ guides. After all, it’s a fantastic place where you can find up to eight different hummingbird species!
The ascend to the Cloud Forest (2900m.a.s.l.)
I sped along the grassland trail, eager to immerse myself in the forest. My journey continued on Cocora’s paths, but this time, rather than entering Acaime, I chose the winding ascent towards the Páramo, a few kilometers further. Around the 7km mark, I decided it was time to descend back to Cocora.
Despite the long trek, It was a beautiful morning, though the exact number and species of other birds I saw that day now escape me. What does stand out, however, is that incredible encounter with the Dusky Piha. After a good six-kilometer hike, I started my descent back to Cocora, feeling a bit tired but content.
The Dusky Piha danced on my face
Then, from below the hill, I heard the distinctive call of a White-capped Tanager. Immediately, my camera was out, and I began following the sound. After some zigzagging through the dense foliage, I paused, looked to my left, and there it was: the Piha.
I remember it so clearly. The bird was just perched there, almost as if it had been waiting for me. I tried to get a better angle, and with a graceful flutter, it moved to another branch, perfectly framing itself for my lens. The Piha then stretched its right wing, fanned its tail, and in a flash, it was gone, vanishing into the emerald depths of the forest. I was absolutely amazed by this magical encounter!
The White-capped Tanager Whispers
The good news was that the Tanager was still calling. These tanagers are quite familiar, and they tend to stick together as a family. I had seen the species before but never managed to get a good photo, which was why I had been tracking it even before the Piha appeared. Just a few meters from where the Piha had been, I found the Tanager. I managed to get a shot, maybe not the perfect one I had envisioned, but I was incredibly pleased. Not only did I get some great photos of the Piha, but I also snagged a decent one of the White-capped Tanager.
Conservation
Both the White-capped Tanager and the Dusky Piha call the Andean forests of South America home, but their conservation statuses and behaviors tell different stories. The White-capped Tanager is listed as Vulnerable (VU) in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (2024), yet I’ve been lucky enough to spot it 13 times. The Dusky Piha, on the other hand, is of Least Concern, but I’ve only encountered it 8 times. This disparity might be due to their distinct behaviors: the glossy black White-capped Tanagers, known for being the heaviest tanager species, often move through the forest in boisterous, social flocks of up to twenty individuals, even practicing cooperative breeding where other adults help raise the young. In contrast, the Dusky Piha, a more subtly colored grey-brown bird of the Cotinga family, typically remains solitary and often silent within the forest understory, despite having a powerful, far-reaching call. Both primarily feed on fruits, but the Tanager also supplements its diet with insects.
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