FaunaHub

Bellbird (genus Procnias)

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Three-wattled bellbird (Procnias tricarunculatus), a brown bird with three dangling wattles.

Three-wattled bellbird (Procnias tricarunculatus).

Image: Cephas, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Overview

Bellbirds (genus Procnias) are remarkable birds of the American tropics, members of the cotinga family famous above all for their voices: the males produce some of the loudest calls of any bird in the world — ringing, clanging, bell-like or metallic notes that carry far through the forest. The three-wattled bellbird (Procnias tricarunculatus), shown here, adds a bizarre touch, the male sporting three long, worm-like fleshy wattles dangling from the base of his bill.

Males are usually boldly coloured or patterned and call from high, exposed perches to attract females, while females are drab, greenish, and well camouflaged — a classic pattern in this display-driven family.

Note: “bellbird” here refers to the Neotropical Procnias bellbirds; details describe the group broadly. (Some unrelated birds elsewhere also share the name.) Treat general statements as approximate and verify against authoritative sources.

Habitat & Range

Procnias bellbirds live in the forests of Central and South America, many in humid montane and cloud forest, others in lowland and foothill rainforest. Several undertake seasonal movements up and down mountains or between regions, following the fruiting of trees, and all depend on healthy, fruit-rich tropical forest.

Diet

Bellbirds are primarily frugivores, eating large amounts of fruit, which they often pluck in flight or while perched and swallow whole, later dispersing the seeds. This fruit-rich diet ties their movements and breeding to the fruiting cycles of forest trees, and makes bellbirds important seed-dispersers that help regenerate their forests.

Behavior

The heart of bellbird life is the male's extraordinarily loud call, used to claim a calling perch and attract females; the sound can be almost deafening at close range and carries over long distances through the forest. Males display at traditional perches — sometimes near other males — calling persistently and, in the three-wattled bellbird, showing off their dangling wattles. After mating, the female alone builds the nest and raises the young, while the colourful, noisy males play no part in parenting. Several bellbirds migrate altitudinally, tracking ripening fruit through the year.

Human Interaction & Conservation

Bellbirds are iconic forest birds, prized by birdwatchers for their astonishing calls and strange appearance, and valued ecologically as seed-dispersers. Because they depend on large areas of fruiting forest and often move seasonally across them, deforestation and fragmentation are serious threats, and some species — including the three-wattled bellbird — are of conservation concern. Protecting connected forest across elevations is key. Consult the IUCN Red List for species-specific status.

More photos of the bellbird

A male three-wattled bellbird calling, showing its wattles.

Three-wattled bellbird (Procnias tricarunculatus).

Image: James St. John, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Frequently Asked Questions — Bellbird

How loud is a bellbird's call?
Extremely loud — bellbirds produce some of the loudest calls of any bird on Earth. The male's ringing, clanging, bell-like or metallic notes can be almost painful to hear up close and carry a long way through the forest. The volume helps a male advertise his perch and attract females across the dense, noisy tropical forest.
What are the three-wattled bellbird's wattles?
They're three long, slender, worm-like flaps of fleshy skin that hang from the base of the male's bill. They're used in display alongside his loud calls to impress females. Only the male has them; the drab green female does not. They give the three-wattled bellbird one of the most distinctive looks of any bird.
Are bellbirds related to other famous singing birds?
The Neotropical bellbirds belong to the cotinga family, which also includes other birds known for extraordinary sounds and displays, such as the screaming piha. So their incredible voices fit a family theme of loud, display-driven males. (Note that a few unrelated birds in other parts of the world are also called 'bellbirds.')
What do bellbirds eat?
Mostly fruit. Bellbirds are frugivores that swallow fruit whole and later disperse the seeds, which makes them important for forest regeneration. Their reliance on fruit means their movements and breeding follow the fruiting cycles of forest trees, and several species migrate up and down mountains to track ripening fruit.

Sources and further reading

Authoritative wildlife references used for general educational context. Conservation status should always be verified against current IUCN Red List data. External links open in a new tab.