FRUIT-EATING BIRDS

Frugivores are most diverse in the tropics where fruit is available year-round. Many polygynous birds are fruit eaters. Males of these species have bright colors to augment their courtship displays, so many brightly colored birds rely heavily on fruit for their diet. Not all of the photos here depict frugivores many omnivorous birds incorporate fruit into their diets.

American Robin

feeding on Amalanchier fruit

American Robin n09-2-006.jpg
American Robin      Turdus migratorius
Canada; Quebec, Quebec City

Bay-headed Tanager

eating melostome fruit

Bay-headed Tanager c44-5-073.jpg
Bay-headed Tanager      Tangara gyrola
Trinidad & Tobago, Asa Wright Nature Center

Black-collared Barbet

Black-collared Barbet s84-5-048.jpg
Black-collared Barbet      Lybius torquatus
Republic of South Africa, Pretoria

Black-sided Flowerpecker

dropping melastome berry

Black-sided Flowerpecker w02-48-069.jpg
Black-sided Flowerpecker      Dicaeum celebicum
Malaysia, Borneo, Sabah, Malaysia, Sabah, Kinabalu Park, near HQ ca 1,600 m

Blaze-winged Parakeet

eating fruit

Blaze-winged Parakeet f26-7-014.jpg
Blaze-winged Parakeet      Pyrrhura devillei
Brazil; Mato Groso do Sul, Bonito

Blue Cotinga

in Cecropia tree

Blue Cotinga w02-41-213.jpg
Blue Cotinga      Cotinga nattererii
Panama, Gamboa, Canopy Tower Lodge, Panama Prov.

Blue Dacnis

eating melostome fruit

Blue Dacnis t08-15-062.jpg
Blue Dacnis      Dacnis cayana
Costa Rica, La Selva

Blue-crowned Parakeet

eating fruit

Blue-crowned Parakeet m47-15-013.jpg
Blue-crowned Parakeet      Aratinga acuticaudata
Brazil, Araras Lodge

Blue-naped Chlorophonia

eating melostome fruit

Blue-naped Chlorophonia b57-21-760.jpg
Blue-naped Chlorophonia      Chlorophonia cyanea
Peru, Manu National Park

Blue-necked Tanager

eating melostome fruit

Blue-necked Tanager b57-21-765.jpg
Blue-necked Tanager      Tangara cyanicollis
Peru, Manu National Park

Blue-winged Mountain-Tanager

eating fruit

Blue-winged Mountain-Tanager c44-1-085.jpg
Blue-winged Mountain-Tanager      Anisognathus flavinuchus
Ecuador, Mindo

Bohemian Waxwing

eating fruit

Bohemian Waxwing n09-2-017.jpg
Bohemian Waxwing      Bombycilla garrulus
Canada; Quebec, Ile d'Orléans

Brassy-breasted Tanager

eating melostome fruit

Brassy-breasted Tanager f26-11-047.jpg
Brassy-breasted Tanager      Tangara desmaresti
Brazil, REGUA, Cachoeiras de Macacu

California Thrasher

eating fruit

California Thrasher f20-14-063.jpg
California Thrasher      Toxostoma redivivum
USA; California, Malibu

Chestnut-eared Aracari

eating fruit

Chestnut-eared Aracari m47-15-026.jpg
Chestnut-eared Aracari      Pteroglossus castanotis
Brazil, Araras Lodge

Chestnut-sided Warbler

eating melostome fruit

Chestnut-sided Warbler b53-4-113.jpg
Chestnut-sided Warbler      Setophaga pensylvanica
Costa Rica, Heredia, La Selva

Collared Aracari

in Cecropia tree eating fruit

Collared Aracari w02-41-144.jpg
Collared Aracari      Pteroglossus torquatus
Panama, Gamboa, Canopy Tower Lodge, Panama Prov.

Comoro Blue-Pigeon

eating green fig

Comoro Blue-Pigeon w31-2-020.jpg
Comoro Blue-Pigeon      Alectroenas sganzini
Aldabra, Aldabra Islands

Cordilleran Flycatcher

eating fruit

Cordilleran Flycatcher g25-6-011.jpg
Cordilleran Flycatcher      Empidonax occidentalis
Mexico; Hidalgo, Hidalgo

Crimson-rumped Toucanet

eating fruit

Crimson-rumped Toucanet g31-3-015.jpg
Crimson-rumped Toucanet      Aulacorhynchus haematopygus
Ecuador, Tandayapa Bird Lodge

Dodo

illustration: Dodo eating Tambalocoque fruit

Dodo p07-6-001.jpg
Dodo      Raphus cucullatus

Fawn-breasted Tanager

eating fruit

Fawn-breasted Tanager b57-18-195.jpg
Fawn-breasted Tanager      Pipraeidea melanonota

Flavescent Bulbul

eating raspberries - Rubus sp.

Flavescent Bulbul w02-48-178.jpg
Flavescent Bulbul      Pycnonotus flavescens
Malaysia, Borneo, Sabah, Malaysia, Sabah, Kinabalu Park, Laban Rata 3,275 m.

Fulvous-vented Euphonia

Cecropia fruit in bill

Fulvous-vented Euphonia h12-2-064.jpg
Fulvous-vented Euphonia      Euphonia fulvicrissa
Panama, near Gamboa

Gila Woodpecker

feeding on cactus fruit

Gila Woodpecker b13-48-016.jpg
Gila Woodpecker      Melanerpes uropygialis
USA; Arizona, Tucson

Golden-headed Quetzal

feeding on palm fruit in flight

Golden-headed Quetzal c44-1-088.jpg
Golden-headed Quetzal      Pharomachrus auriceps
Ecuador, Mindo

Golden-naped Barbet

eating small red fruit

Golden-naped Barbet h46-4-094.jpg
Golden-naped Barbet      Megalaima pulcherrima
Borneo, Malaysia, Sabah, Kinabalu Park

Hispaniolan Woodpecker

at nest cavity in palm with palm fruit

Hispaniolan Woodpecker w02-31-017.jpg
Hispaniolan Woodpecker      Melanerpes striatus
Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo Botanical Gardens

Horned Lark

Adult with insect and fruit (?) in beak

Horned Lark b57-16-230.jpg
Horned Lark      Eremophila alpestris
Canada; Newfoundland, Cape Saint Mary's

Island Thrush

eating fruit - Rosaceae

Island Thrush w02-48-222.jpg
Island Thrush      Turdus poliocephalus
Malaysia, Borneo, Sabah, Malaysia, Sabah, Kinabalu Park, Laban Rata 3,275 m.

Long-tailed Silky-Flycatcher

eating berry

Long-tailed Silky-Flycatcher m47-19-032.jpg
Long-tailed Silky-Flycatcher      Ptilogonys caudatus
Panama, Chiriqui, Los Quetzales

Masked Flowerpiercer

eating fruit

Masked Flowerpiercer f26-3-014.jpg
Masked Flowerpiercer      Diglossa cyanea
Ecuador, Quito, Jardin Botanico

Monk Parakeet

eating cactus fruit

Monk Parakeet b57-19-120.jpg
Monk Parakeet      Myiopsitta monachus
Bolivia, Cochabamba, Omereque, Red-fronted Macaw Reserve

Orange-bellied Flowerpecker

eating melostome fruit

Orange-bellied Flowerpecker h46-4-103.jpg
Orange-bellied Flowerpecker      Dicaeum trigonostigma
Borneo, Malaysia, Sabah, Danum Valley

Oriental Pied Hornbill

feeding on palm fruit

Oriental Pied Hornbill s45-10-007.jpg
Oriental Pied Hornbill      Anthracoceros albirostris
Malaysia, Desaru, Johor

Palawan Hornbill

eating fig

Palawan Hornbill l21-4-044.jpg
Palawan Hornbill      Anthracoceros marchei
Philippines, Puerto Princessa Subterranean River National Park, Palawan

Palm-nut Vulture

eating palm fruit

Palm-nut Vulture b52-2-473.jpg
Palm-nut Vulture      Gypohierax angolensis
Kenya, Samburu National Reserve

Palmchat

near nest with palm fruit

Palmchat w02-31-028.jpg
Palmchat      Dulus dominicus
Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo Botanical Gardens

Pine Grosbeak

feeding on crab apple fruit

Pine Grosbeak s36-36-046.jpg
Pine Grosbeak      Pinicola enucleator
USA; New York, Sullivan County

Pine Grosbeak

feeding on crab apple fruit

Pine Grosbeak s36-36-048.jpg
Pine Grosbeak      Pinicola enucleator
USA; New York, Sullivan County

Red-headed Barbet

mouth full of banana

Red-headed Barbet f26-15-025.jpg
Red-headed Barbet      Eubucco bourcierii
Colombia, Tatamá National Park

Resplendent Quetzal

eating bambito fruit

Resplendent Quetzal m47-19-035.jpg
Resplendent Quetzal      Pharomachrus mocinno
Panama, Chiriqui, Los Quetzales

Rhinoceros Hornbill

eating fruits of fig Ficus stupenda

Rhinoceros Hornbill l21-3-010.jpg
Rhinoceros Hornbill      Buceros rhinoceros
Indonesia, Borneo, Kalimantan, Gunung Palung National Park

Rose-ringed Parakeet

female eating fruit

Rose-ringed Parakeet d16-15-034.jpg
Rose-ringed Parakeet      Psittacula krameri
Netherlands, Zoetermeer

Scaly-breasted Bulbul

eating fig

Scaly-breasted Bulbul l21-4-079.jpg
Scaly-breasted Bulbul      Pycnonotus squamatus

Scarlet Tanager

eating melostome fruit

Scarlet Tanager b53-4-116.jpg
Scarlet Tanager      Piranga olivacea
Costa Rica, Heredia, La Selva

Scarlet-bellied Mountain-Tanager

eating fruit

Scarlet-bellied Mountain-Tanager b57-21-746.jpg
Scarlet-bellied Mountain-Tanager      Anisognathus igniventris
Peru, Manu National Park

Spangle-cheeked Tanager

eating fruit

Spangle-cheeked Tanager b61-2-062.jpg
Spangle-cheeked Tanager      Tangara dowii
Costa Rica, Savegre Lodge

Spot-billed Toucanet

eating palm fruit

Spot-billed Toucanet b57-21-388.jpg
Spot-billed Toucanet      Selenidera maculirostris
Brazil, Atlantic Rainforest

Spot-billed Toucanet

eating palm fruit

Spot-billed Toucanet b57-21-391.jpg
Spot-billed Toucanet      Selenidera maculirostris
Brazil, Atlantic Rainforest

Spotted Towhee

eating Amalanchier fruit

Spotted Towhee n10-20-039.jpg
Spotted Towhee      Pipilo maculatus
Canada; British Columbia, Penticton

Streak-eared Bulbul

Streak-eared Bulbul s70-5-246.jpg
Streak-eared Bulbul      Pycnonotus blanfordi
Thailand, Huai Kha Kaeng

Thick-billed Green-Pigeon

fruit in bill

Thick-billed Green-Pigeon l21-4-026.jpg
Thick-billed Green-Pigeon      Treron curvirostra
Philippines, Puerto Princessa Subterranean River National Park, Palawan

Toucan Barbet

eating fruit

Toucan Barbet f26-4-065.jpg
Toucan Barbet      Semnornis ramphastinus

Tropical Boubou

eating fruit

Tropical Boubou b52-2-655.jpg
Tropical Boubou      Laniarius aethiopicus
Kenya, Mountain Lodge

Varied Thrush

eating fruit

Varied Thrush b53-5-048.jpg
Varied Thrush      Ixoreus naevius
USA; Washington, King Co.

Von Der Decken's Hornbill

eating fruit

Von Der Decken's Hornbill b52-2-665.jpg
Von Der Decken's Hornbill      Tockus deckeni
Kenya, Samburu National Reserve

White-crowned Pigeon

eating palm fruit

White-crowned Pigeon c34-3-011.jpg
White-crowned Pigeon      Patagioenas leucocephala
USA; Florida, Pig Pine Key

White-throated Sparrow

Feeding on Cornus fruit

White-throated Sparrow c22-48-013.jpg
White-throated Sparrow      Zonotrichia albicollis
USA; Illinois, Chicago, Montrose Beach

Wrentit

eating red fruit

Wrentit f20-9-658.jpg
Wrentit      Chamaea fasciata
USA; California, Los Angeles Co

Yellow-billed Cotinga

eating melostome fruit

Yellow-billed Cotinga b57-18-170.jpg
Yellow-billed Cotinga      Carpodectes antoniae

Yellow-rumped Flowerpecker

eating fig

Yellow-rumped Flowerpecker l21-4-067.jpg
Yellow-rumped Flowerpecker      Prionochilus xanthopygius
Indonesia, Gunung Palung National Park, west Kalimantan, Borneo

Yellow-rumped Flowerpecker

eating berry

Yellow-rumped Flowerpecker w02-9-116.jpg
Yellow-rumped Flowerpecker      Prionochilus xanthopygius
Borneo, Malaysia, Sabah, Crocker Range NP, Mendolong

Yellow-winged Cacique

Adult foraging on fruit from the Guamuchil tree

Yellow-winged Cacique j10-1-022.jpg
Yellow-winged Cacique      Cacicus melanicterus
Mexico; Colima, Colima City. Rio de Colima