Saffron-crowned Tanager

Overview

The saffron-crowned tanager (Tangara xanthocephala) is a species of bird in the family Thraupidae. It is found in the northern Andes of South America, where it inhabits cloud forests and associated habitats. The species is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Identification

• Size and Mass: Average-sized tanager measuring 12.5–13.5 cm in length and 15–23.6 g in mass.
• Plumage: Blue-green body with blackish streaking on the back; head is yellow with an orange-tinged crown and black forecrown, lores, orbital area, and chin.
• Feathers and Features: Wings and tail are black with blue-green edges; center of belly and undertail coverts are buff; dark brown iris, black bill, and gray feet.
• Vocalisations: Calls include a thin, high-pitched tsit and a high-pitched descending tsew, with songs consisting of squeaky, high-pitched notes.

Habitat

Found in the Andes of Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela, inhabiting cloud forests, forest edges, secondary forests, shaded plantations, and large trees near clearings or pastures. The species prefers areas with mossy trees and occurs at elevations between 1,000 and 2,700 m.

Diet

The most frugivorous species in the genus Tangara, it consumes fruits such as Cecropia, Morus, and Miconia, while also feeding on insects. It forages actively in the canopy, gleaning fruit while upright and inspecting mossy branches for insects by reaching into clumps of moss or sticking its head into the foliage.

Did you know?

The only known nest for this species was discovered at a height of 12 m on the underside of the lowest branch of a tree, constructed entirely of moss and containing a clutch of two eggs.