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'Diving Leap' Behavior    © 2000 JohnCNelson.com The Yellow-billed Cotinga has a characteristic behavior when leaving treetop perches. You could call it a 'diving leap'. Instead of flying upward and away, it launches itself forcefully downward into lower cover, in much the same way that a racing swimmer dives off the starting blocks. In preparing to leave, it falls foward while holding its feet firmly on a branch. When its head is lower than its feet, it springs downward, using its cocked legs with enough force to make the branch recoil. Once in the air, it keeps its wings folded tightly against its body and plummets.

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