Olive-green Tanager

Overview

The olive-green tanager (Orthogonys chloricterus) is a species of bird in the family Mitrospingidae. It is endemic to southeastern Brazil and currently classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, with its long-term viability supported by ongoing protection in parks and reserves.

Identification

• Plumage: Adult birds are olive green above and dull yellow below, with a tinge of olive on the sides and flanks.
• Size: Approximately 18 to 19 cm (7.1 to 7.5 in) in length.
• Vocalisation: The song is rendered as "tséé-si, si, si, tséé-si, si, si", accompanied by a buzzy "tseee" call and a "wheek!" when foraging.

Habitat

Found exclusively in southeastern Brazil, ranging from Espírito Santo state south to eastern Santa Catarina and northeastern Rio Grande do Sul. It inhabits the interior and edges of humid montane forest at elevations between 900 and 1,800 m (3,000 to 5,900 ft).

Diet

The diet is primarily composed of insects, though it also consumes fruit. It forages in flocks of its own species, typically numbering around eight individuals but occasionally up to 20, feeding in the mid- to upper levels of the forest by picking prey from leaves and sallying for flying insects.

Did you know?

Although no detailed breeding phenology has been published, one individual was observed carrying nest material to a bromeliad situated in a large tree.