Blue-backed Tanager

Overview

The blue-backed tanager (Cyanicterus cyanicterus) is a species of bird in the family Thraupidae found in northern South America. It is the sole member of the genus Cyanicterus and is classified as a species of Least Concern by the IUCN, though its population is believed to be decreasing.

Identification

• Length of approximately 17 cm with a sexually dimorphic plumage; adult males possess bright blue heads and upperparts with golden-yellow underparts, while females feature cerulean-blue upperparts and yellow underparts.
• Both sexes have an orange to red iris, yellowish-orange legs, and a long, heavy bill with a decurved culmen, black upper mandible, and gray lower mandible.
• Song consists of high-pitched, loud, and penetrating calls, often described as 'keeee, kuuu' or 'feet-feet' in different regions.

Habitat

The species inhabits the interior and edges of humid forests, clearings with tall trees, and occasionally savanna woodlands across the Guiana Shield, Venezuela, and parts of northern Brazil. It reaches elevations of up to 600 m in the Guianas, 200 m in Venezuela, and 500 m in Brazil.

Diet

The diet is known to include insects and fruit, though it has not been extensively studied. Foraging occurs in pairs or small family groups, often within mixed-species feeding flocks in the forest canopy and emergent treetops.

Did you know?

The scientific name Cyanicterus derives from the Ancient Greek words kuanos meaning 'dark-blue' and ikteros meaning 'jaundice-yellow', referring to the bird's striking two-toned colouration.