Pale-billed Aracari eats pico-pico fruit
It’s January and the pico-pico is fruiting at Buenaventura Reserve in El Oro Province of southern Ecuador. The reserve was created by the Jocotoco Conservation Foundation primarily to protect habitat for the El Oro Parakeet, but another 350 other species of birds are also protected on the reserve.
The pico-pico (Acnistus arborescens) a member of the tomato family, produces a copious crop of pea-sized, orange fruits. These are sought after by a wide variety of birds and at least some mammals. I have personally tasted the pico-pico, but can’t recommend it unless you have nothing else to eat.
The list of pico-pico-eaters is long. Tanagers dominate in terms of number of species, but coatis consume the largest quantity of berries here around the Umbrellabird Lodge at Buenaventura.
Palm Tanager
Lemon-rumped Tanager
Bay-headed Tanager
Bay-headed Tanager
Silver-throated Tanager and Thick-billed Euphonia
Silver-throated Tanager perched upon pico-pico
Thick-billed Euphonia female
Thick-billed Euphonia, immature male
Bananaquits
Choco Toucan
Pale-billed Aracari
Rufous-headed Chachalaca juvenile
Coati, Nasua narica
Coati, Nasua narica
When the pico-pico ripens it is a super-abundant resource and everybody partakes.