Rufous-crested tanager

Creurgops verticalis

Photo by Peter Franze (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:
rufous-crested tanager (en); saíra-de-crista-ruiva (pt); tangara à cimier roux (fr); tangara crestirrufa (es); ockerschopftangare (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Thraupidae

Range:
This species is found in the Andes, from central Colombia south to central Peru.

Size:
These birds are 15 cm long and weigh 21-27 g.

Habitat:
The rufous-crested tanager is found in humid and wet mossy mountain forests, especially clound forests and ocasionally also along forest edges. They occur at altitudes of 1.400-2.700 m.

Diet:
They feed mainly on insects, but also take some fruits.

Breeding:
Rufous-crested tanagers possibly breed in March-June. There is no further information regarding their reproduction.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a relatively large breeding range, but is described as uncommon. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Western spindalis

Spindalis zena

Photo by John Schwarz (Birdspix)

Common name:
western spindais (en); zena-de-cuba (pt); zéna à tête rayée (fr); cigua cubana (es); Kuba-streifenkopftangare (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Thraupidae

Range:
This species is found in the northern Caribbean, in the Bahamas, Cuba, Turks and Caicos, on Grand Cayman island, and on the island of Cozumel off the coast of the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico.

Size:
These birds are 15-17 cm long and weigh 18-36 g.

Habitat:
The western spindalis is found in moist tropical forests, both moist and dry scrublands, and in second growths. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 2.000 m.

Diet:
They feed mainly on fruits and berries, but also take other plant parts, insects and snails.

Breeding:
Western spindalis breed in April-August. They are monogamous and breed in solitary pairs, nesting in a cup made of twigs and other plant material, and lined with finer materials. The female lays 2-3 pale blue eggs with brown flecks, which she incubates alone for 12-14 days. The is no available information regarding the fledging period.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a large breeding range and the global population is estimated at 50.000-500.000 individuals. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Sooty-capped bush-tanager

Chlorospingus pileatus

(Photo from Flickr)

Common name:
sooty-capped bush-tanager (en); saíra-do-mato-de-sobrolho-branco (pt); chlorospin à sourcils brisés (fr); frutero copetón (es); weißbrauen-buschtangare (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Thraupidae

Range:
This species is found in the mountains of Costa Rica and western Panama.

Size:
These birds are 13,5-14 cm long and weigh 16-24 g.

Habitat:
The sooty-capped bush-tanager is mostly found in mossy, moist and wet mountain rainforests, and elfin forests, also using tall second growths and high-altitude scrublands. They occur at altitudes of 1.500-3.000 m.

Diet:
Sooty-capped bush-tanagers feed on small arthropods and fruits such as Miconia, Fuchsia, Rubus and several Ericaceae.

Breeding:
These birds breed in February-July and may show cooperative breeding, with several adults tending the same nest. The nest is a bulky cup placed in a dense scrub or hidden amongst epiphytes up to 11 m above the ground. The female lays 2 white eggs with pink-brown markings. There is no information regarding the incubation and fledging periods.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a relatively small breeding range, but is described as common. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Purplish-mantled tanager

Iridosornis porphyrocephalus

Photo by Nick Athanas (Antpitta)

Common name:
purplish-mantled tanager (en); sanhaçu-de-barrete-azul (pt); tangara à cape bleue (fr); tangara capiazul (es); purpurmanteltangare (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Thraupidae

Range:
This species is found along the Pacific slopes of the Andes in western Colombia as far north as Chocó and south to north-western Ecuador. Also on the Central Andes of Colombia in Antioquia.

Size:
These birds are 14 cm long and weigh 20-23 g.

Habitat:
The purplish-mantled tanager is found in the undergrowth of humid mossy rainforests, forest borders and nearby tall second growths. They occur at altitudes of 1.500-2.200 m.

Diet:
They feed on berries and insects, sometimes joining mixed foraging flocks with other tanagers.

Breeding:
The purplish-mantled tanager may breed in May-July. There is no further information on the reproduction of this species.

Conservation:
IUCN status - NT (Near-Threatened)
This species has a relatively large, but somewhat fragmented breeding range. Although
the global population size has not been quantified, the purplish-mantled tanager is described as uncommon and believed to be declining at a slow to moderate rate due to habitat loss and degradation.

Orange-throated tanager

Wetmorethraupis sterrhopteron

Photo by Dusan Brinkhuizen (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:
orange-throated tanager (en); saíra-de-papo-laranja (pt); tangara à gorge orangée (fr); tangara golinaranja (es); veilchenschultertangare (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Thraupidae

Range:
This species is only found in a small area of northern Peru, in the eastern slopes and foothills of the Andes above the rivers Marañón and Cenepa, in the forests at the headwaters of the río Nieva, and marginallt into Ecuador on the western slopes above the río Nangaritza.

Size:
These birds are 17 cm long and weigh 43,5-56 g.

Habitat:
The orange-throated tanager is mostly found in mature, humid terra firme forests and foothill forests, also using disturbed forests. They are present at altitudes of 450-1.000 m.

Diet:
They feed on fruits, seeds and insects such as beetles.

Breeding:
Orange-throated tanagers breed in January-March. They are cooperative breeders, with helpers participating in nest defence and provisioning. The nest is an open cup made of twigs, dead plant material, moss and lichens, and is placed in the uppermost fronds of a palm tree, about 10 m above the ground. There is no information on clutch size, but the incubation period is believed to take 18-20 days. There is no available data regarding the fledging period.

Conservation:
IUCN status - VU (Vulnerable)
This species has a relatively small breeding range and the global population is estimated at just 6.000-15.000 individuals. The orange-throated tanager is suspected to lose 6% of suitable habitat within its distribution over the next decade, based on a model of Amazonian deforestation, being therefore suspected to suffer decline a small decline in the near future.

Parodi's hemispingus

Hemispingus parodii

Photo by Fabrice Schmitt (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:
Parodi's hemispingus (en); hemispingo-de-Parodi (pt); tangara de Parodi (fr); hemispingo de Parodi (es); gelbbrauenhemispingus (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Thraupidae

Range:
This species is endemic to Peru, only being in the eastern slopes of the Andes in the south central part of the country, from the Cordillera Vilcabamba south to the upper Urubamba valley.

Size:
These birds are 14-16 cm long and weigh about 20 g.

Habitat:
The Parodi's hemispingus is found in mountain rainforests, including elfin forests, and in patches of Chusquea bamboo at or near the treeline. They occur at altitudes of 2.600-3.500 m.

Diet:
They forage in small groups, often together with other insectivores, taking various arthropods.

Breeding:
These birds possibly breed from July onwards. Otherwise, there is no further information the regarding the reproduction of this species.

Conservation:
IUCN status - NT (Near-Threatened)
This species has a relatively large breeding range and is described as fairly common. However, it is suspected to lose 25% of suitable habitat within its distribution over the next decade based on a model of Amazonian deforestation, suggesting it will undergo a moderate decline in the near future. The main threat to the Parodi's hemispingus is the accelerating deforestation in the Amazon Basin as land is cleared for cattle ranching and soy production, facilitated by expansion of the road network.

Tamarugo conebill

Conirostrum tamarugense

Photo by Gonzalo Gonzalez (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:
tamarugo conebill (en); figuinha-do-tamarugo (pt); conirostre des tamarugos (fr); comesebo de los tamarugales (es); rotstirn-spitzschnabel (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Thraupidae

Range:
This species is only found breeding in a few locations within Pampa del Tamarugal, in northern Chile. They migrate north to winter other parts of northern Chile and in south-western Peru.

Size:
These birds are 12-13 cm long and weigh about 10 g.

Habitat:
The tamarugo conebill is mostly found breeding in mature tamarugo Prosopis tamarugo plantations, but can also use riverine scrublands, agricultural land and citrus groves. outside the breeding season, it occurs primarily in arid Gynoxys and Polylepis stands. They can be found from sea level up to an altitude of 4.100 m.

Diet:
They feed mainly on caterpillars, particularly those of Leptotes trigemmatus.

Breeding:
Tamarugo conebills breed in September-December, coinciding with the seasonal blooming of tamarugo flowers which provide food for the caterpillars the birds rely on. They nest in a deep, round cup made of small twigs, feathers, wool and the rachis of tamarugo leaves. The nest is placed in a descending or horizontal branch near the centre of a tamarugo tree, about 3-6 m above the ground. The female lays 3 pale grey eggs with brown spots. There is no available information regarding the incubation and fledgling periods.

Conservation:
IUCN status - VU (Vulnerable)
This species has a relatively small and fragmented breeding range. The global population has been estimated at 19.000-51.000 individuals, but this estimate may by outdated. The population is possibly increasing, owing to the expansion and regeneration of tamarugo forests. Tamarugo was almost extirpated by the time the Chilean government began a replantation programme in the 1930s. The tamarugo is managed mainly for the production of sheep forage and by the 1970s, 146 square quilometres had been reforested, and protected within the Pampa del Tamarugal National Reserve. Potential threats include ongoing attempts to control L. trigemmatus with chemicals or parasitoids, the risk of exhaustion of the aquifers used to water taramugo plantation due to their use to supply the city of Iquique, and the widespread cutting of Polylepis woodland in the wintering areas.

Blue-backed tanager

Cyanicterus cyanicterus

Photo by Anselmo d'Affonseca (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:
blue-backed tanager (en); pipira-azul (pt); tangara cyanictère (fr); tangará dorsiazul (es); ziertangare (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Thraupidae

Range:
This species is found in eastern Venezuela, the Guyanas and marginally into northern Brazil.

Size:
These birds 17-18,5 cm and weigh 33-36 g.

Habitat:
The blue-backed tanager is mostly found in lowland rainforests, also using dry savannas. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 600 m.

Diet:
They feed on fruits, berries, buds, leaves and nectar.

Breeding:
There is no available information on the reproduction of this species.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a large breeding range and is described as uncommon. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Blue-naped chlorophonia

Chlorophonia cyanea

Photo by Dario Sanches (Wikipedia)

Common name:
blue-naped chlorophonia (en); gaturamo-bandeira (en); organiste à nuque bleue (fr); tangará bonito (es); grünorganist (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Thraupidae

Range:
This South American species has a highly disjunct distribution, with three main areas of occurrence. One population is found in southern Venezuela, south-western Guyana and marginally into northern Brazil. A second population is found along the eastern slopes of the Andes, from Venezuela to central Bolivia. The third population is found in the Atlantic forests of southern and south-eastern Brazil, and also in southern Paraguay and marginally into northern Argentina.

Size:
These birds are 10-11 cm long and weigh about 13 g.

Habitat:
The blue-naped chlorophonia is found in moist tropical forests, rural gardens and plantations. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 2.100 m.

Diet:
They mainly eat berries and insect larvae, but also small leaves and nectar.

Breeding:
Blue-naped chlorophonias breed in December-July. The nest is a globular structure with side entrances, made of moss and rootlets, and placed in a road bank with overhanging vegetation or within a bromeliad, about 1 m above the ground. The female lays 2-3 whitish eggs with reddish-brown speckles, which she incubates alone for 17-20 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 20-21 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is described as common. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Black-and-white tanager

Conothraupis speculigera

Photo by Nick Athanas (Antpitta)

Common name:
black-and-white tanager (en); tiê-preto-e-branco (pt); tangara à miroir blanc (fr); tangara albinegra (es); spiegeltangare (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Thraupidae

Range:
This species breeds in the western slope of the Andes in south-western Ecuador and north-western Peru. They migrate east to winter on the eastern slopes of the Andes in Peruvian Amazonia and marginally into Brazil and Bolivia.

Size:
These birds are 16 cm long and weigh 23-28 g.

Habitat:
The black-and-white tanager breeds in deciduous woodland, gallery forests and riparian thickets up to an altitude of 1.950 m. outside the breeding season they move to lower altitudes and use the edges of tropical rainforests, second growths and riparian habitats.

Diet:
They feed on insects and seeds.

Breeding:
These birds breed in February-May. The nest is an untidy, loosely woven cup made of sticks and leaf petioles, lined with dark fungal rhizomorphs. It is placed in a small tree or scrub, 0,5-2,5 m above the ground. There the female lays 3-4 whitish to pale bluish eggs with reddish-brown and black speckles and blotches. There is no information regarding the incubation and fledgling periods.

Conservation:
IUCN status - NT (Near-Threatened)
This species has a relatively large breeding range, but is described as uncommon and patchily distributed. The black-and-white tanager is suspected to lose 10% of suitable habitat within its distribution over the next decade, based on a model of Amazonian deforestation and is therefore expected to suffer a small decline in the near future. It is threatened by deforestation and understorey degradation, which may be further isolating populations within its already disjunct range.

Red-throated ant-tanager

Habia fuscicauda

(Photo from Birders Without Borders)

Common name:
red-throated ant-tanager (en); tiê-de-garganta-vermelha (pt); habia à gorge rouge (fr); tangara hormiguera gorjirroja (es); rotkehl-ameisentangare (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Thraupidae

Range:
This species is found in Central America, from south-eastern Mexico to Panama and marginaly into northern Colombia.

Size:
These birds are 17-20 cm long. The males tend to be larger, weighing 37-47 g while the females weigh 32-40 g.

Habitat:
The red-throated ant-tanager is found in humid to semiarid, evergreen to semi-deciduous forests and forest edges. They also use swamp forests, second growths and scrublands. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 1.200 m.

Diet:
They are omnivorous, taking insects and other small arthropods, fruits and small lizards. They are known to et the fruits of Annonaceae, Melastomataceae, Rubiaceae and Moraceae.

Breeding:
These birds breed in March-June. They are socially monogamous, with other group members sometimes helping the breeding pair defending the nest and feeding the young. The female builds the nest alone, which consists of a bulky bowl made of dead leaves, pieces of bark and palm fronds, mosses and small twings. The nest is lined with plant fibres, spider webs and rhizomorphs, and often decorated with fungus. It is placed in a vine, bamboo clump or small tree, up to 4 m above the ground. The female lays 2-4 white eggs, which she incubates alone for 12-14 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge about 10 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a large breeding range and the global population is estimated at 0,5-5 million individuals. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Summer tanager

Piranga rubra

Photo by Michel Giraud-Audine (GEPOG)

Common name:
summer tanager (en); sanhaçu-vermelho (pt); piranga vermillon (fr); piranga roja (es); sommertangare (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Thraupidae

Range:
This species breeds in the southern United States and northern Mexico and migrates south to winter in Central America, the Caribbean and in South America as far south as northern Brazil, Peru and Bolivia.

Size:
These birds are 17-19 cm long and weigh 25-30 g.

Habitat:
The summer tanager breeds mainly in open deciduous or pine-oak forests, particularly along the forests edge and in forests clearings, but also in high-altitude mesquite vegetations. Outside the breeding season they use both moist and dry tropical forests, rural gardens, plantations and parks within urban areas.

Diet:
They are specialized on hunting bees and wasps, but also take other  aerial and terrestrial invertebrates such as spiders, cicadas, beetles, ants, termites, grasshoppers, flies, moths, and bugs, as well as fruits such as mulberries, blackberries, pokeweed, Cecropia, citrus, and bananas.

Breeding:
Summer tanagers are monogamous, but pair bonds only last one breeding season. They breed in April-August. The female builds the nest alone, which consists of an open cup made of dried vegetation and lined with fine grasses. It is usually placed on an horizontal branch, 2,5-10,5 m above the ground. The female lays 3-4 pale blue or pale green eggs with reddish-brown spots, which she incubates alone for 11-13 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 8-12 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and a global population estimated at 2,2 million individuals. The population has had a stable trend over the last 4 decades.

Yellow-throated euphonia

Euphonia hirundinacea

Photo by David Welch (David Welch Art)

Common name:
yellow-throated euphonia (en); gaturamo-de-garganta-amarela (pt); organiste à gorge jaune (fr); fruterito gorjiamarillo (es); schwalbenorganist (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Thraupidae

Range:
This species is found in Central America, from eastern and south-eastern Mexico down to Costa Rica.

Size:
These birds are 10-11 cm long and weigh 15 g.

Habitat:
The yellow-throated euphonia is found in both moist and dry tropical forests, in gallery forests, rural gardens, second growths and arable land. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 1.200 m.

Diet:
They feed mainly on fruits and berries, particularly mistletoe berries. They are know to eat berries that are poisonous to other species. They also take small insects from the foliage.

Breeding:
Yellow-throated euphonias breed in March-September. The nest is a globular structure with a side entrance, placed on a stump, at the base of a palm frond, on an epiphyte or on a fence pole, usually 1-15 m above the ground. There the female lays 3-5 white eggs with brown spots, which she incubates alone for 15 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 19 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a large breeding range and a global population estimated at 0,5-5 million individuals. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Grey-headed tanager

Eucometis penicillata

Photo by Ramiro Ramirez (Flickr)

Common name:
grey-headed tanager (en); pipira-da-taoca (pt); tangara à tête grise (fr); tangara cabecigrís (es); graukopftangare (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Thraupidae

Range:
This species is found from southern Mexico to Bolivia and central Brazil as far south as Minas Gerais and Mato Grosso do Sul. They are only present east of the Andes mountain chain.

Size:
These birds are 15-17 cm long and weigh 22-35 g.

Habitat:
The grey-headed tanager is found in both moist and dry tropical forests, swamp forests, mangroves, scrublands, pastures and arable land. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 1.700 m.

Diet:
They eat both arthropods and fruits, namely Miconia berries, seeds and bananas, flies, spiders, roaches, caterpillars, crickets, bugs, moths, centipedes, winged ants, and small beetles.

Breeding:
Grey-headed tanagers can breed all year round, the breeding season varying among different parts of their range. The nest is a small, thin, loose cup made of small twigs, plant fibres, rootlets and fungal hyphae. It is placed in a fork in a tree or scrub, up to 3 m above the ground, typically in an area of thick undergrowth. The female lays 1-3 pale blue-grey eggs, heavily marked brown and black. She incubates the eggs alone for 14-16 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 11-12 days, but can remain with the parents for several months afterwards.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and the global population is estimated at 0,5-5 million individuals. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Spotted tanager

Tangara punctata

Photo by Anselmo d'Affonseca (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:
spotted tanager (en); saíra-negaça (pt); calliste syacou (fr); tangara goteada (es); drosseltangare (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Thraupidae

Range:
This species is found in two separate populations in South America, one along the eastern slopes of the Andes, from northern Ecuador to central Bolivia, and another in north-eastern Brazil, the Guyanas and eastern Venezuela.

Size:
These birds are 11-13 cm long and weigh 13-17 g.

Habitat:
The spotted tanager is found high in the canopy of tropical rainforests, both in lowland and mountainous areas. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 1.700 m.

Diet:
They feed mainly on fruits, also taking berries, seeds and a few arthropods.

Breeding:
Spotted tanagers breed in a cup-shaped nest, placed high up on a tree, where the female lays 2-3 eggs. The eggs are incubated for 15-17 days and the chicks fledge about 2 weeks after hatching. Each pair may raise 2-3 broods per season.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is described as fairly common. The population is suspected to be declining, based on current models of Amazonian deforestation, but the spotted tanager is not threatened at present.

Magpie tanager

Cissopsis leverianus

Photo by Octavio Salles (Flickr)

Common name:
magpie tanager (en); tietinga (pt); tangara pillurion (fr); tangara urraca (es); elstertangare (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Thraupidae

Range:
This species is found from Venezuela and southern Colombia down to Bolivia, Paraguay and south-eastern Brazil.

Size:
These birds are 29-20 cm long and weigh 65-80 g.

Habitat:
The magpie tanager is found in moist tropical forests and swamp forests, also occurring in degraded patches of former forests. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 1.200 m.

Diet:
They mainly feed on fruits, namely bananas and guavas, but also seeds and some insects.

Breeding:
Magpie tanagers nest in a cup made of grasses, leaves and other plant materials, placed low in a tree or in a dense scrub in the forest understory. The female lays 2-3 reddish-brown eggs with brown spots which are incubated for 12-13 days. There is no information regarding the fledgling period but each pair may raise 2 broods per season.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is described as fairly common. based on current models of Amazonian deforestation, this species is likely to loose 15% of suitable habitat in the near future, but they are know to tolerate some level of habitat degradation.

Small ground-finch

Geospiza fuliginosa

Photo by Douglas Bolt (Mango Verde)

Common name:
small ground-finch (en); tentilhão-da-terra-pequeno (pt); géospize fuligineux (fr); pinzón terrestre pequeno (es); kleingrundfink (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family  Thraupidae

Range:
These birds are endemic to the Galapagos islands, being found in the islands of the archipelago except Genovesa, Wolf and Darwin.

Size:
Small ground-finches are 11 cm long and weigh 14 g.

Habitat:
They are mostly found in arid lowland zones, dominated by cacti, deciduous scrubs and dwarf trees, but also occur in forests at higher altitudes, up to an altitude of 1.700 m.

Diet:
These birds forage on the ground or in low vegetation, eating seeds, buds, flowers and leaves, and to a lesser extent also arthropods and the the fruits of Opuntia cacti. They are also known to glean parasites from the skin of iguanas and tortoises.

Breeding:
The small ground-finch breed opportunistically, with egg-laying being most profuse when rainfall is high and food abundant. They are typically monogamous and maintain small territories where they build a small dome-shaped nest on a scrub or cactus. There the female lays 3 eggs which are incubated for 12 days. The chicks are fed mostly insects and fledge 2 weeks after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
Although this species has a relatively small breeding range, it is described as common and widespread. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Blue-necked tanager

Tangara cyanicollis

Photo by Biswarup Satpati (Trek Nature)

Common name:
blue-necked tanager (en); saíra-de-cabeça-azul (pt); calliste à cou bleu (fr); tangara cabeciazul (es); azurkopftangare (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriforme
Family Thraupidae

Range:
This South American species occurs in two separate populations. One found along the lower slopes of the Andes, from Venezuela and Colombia south, on the west side of the Andes, to western Ecuador, and, on the east side of the Andes, south to Bolivia. The other population occupies the lowlands of southern Amazone forest, in central Brazil and marginally into eastern Bolivia.

Size:
These birds are 12-13 cm long and weigh 14-19 g.

Habitat:
The blue-necked tanager is found in tropical scrublands and dry savannas, as well as in the canopy of primary evergreen rainforests and also in plantations and second growths. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 2.400 m.

Diet:
They are omnivorous, eating insects, flower buds and fruits. Among others, they are known to eat Miconia berries and Cecropia catkins and fruits.

Breeding:
Blue-necked tanagers can probably breed all year round. They nest in a tree hollow, lined with leaves and moss, where the female lays 2 white eggs with brown spots. The female incubates the eggs alone for 13-15 days, while the male brings her food. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 15-20 days after hatching, becoming independent about 3 weeks later.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is described as fairly common. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Scarlet tanager

Piranga olivacea

Photo by Stefan Johansson (Flickr)

Common name:
scarlet tanager (en); sanhaçu-escarlate (pt); piranga écarlate (fr); tángara escarlata (es); scharlachtangare (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Thraupidae

Range:
This species breeds in eastern North America, from Saskatchewan and North Dakota to southern Quebec and Maine, and south to Arkansas and Georgia. They migrate south to winter in north-western South America, from Panama, Colombia and Venezuela down to Bolivia.

Size:
These birds are 16-17 cm long and have a wingspan of 25-29 cm. They weigh 23-38 g.

Habitat:
The scarlet tanager breeds in deciduous forests and mixed deciduous forests with hemlock Tsuga sp. and pine Pinus sp., as well as in rural areas and in parks within urban areas. They winter in tropical moist forests and swamp forests, along the eastern slopes of the Andes up to an altitude of 1.300 m.

Diet:
They feed on insects and fruits, namely aphids, weevils, beetles, cicadas, buds, dragonflies, ants, termites, caterpillars of gypsy moths, wasps, bees and wild fruits such as mulberries, June berries and huckleberries.

Breeding:
Scarlet tanagers breed in May-August. They are monogamous and the female builds the nest, a flimsy cup woven with twigs, grasses, plant stalks, bark strips, rootlets, and pine needles. The nest is lined with grass, fine rootlets, fine plant fibres, vine tendrils, and pine needles, and it is placed in a fork in a tree, up to 15 m above the ground. She lays 3-5 greenish-blue or light blue eggs with chestnut, purplish red, and lilac speckles, which are incubated for 12-14 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 9-15 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and a global population estimated at 2,2 million individuals. The scarlet tanager has had stable population trends over the last 4 decades.

Purple honeycreeper

Cyanerpes caeruleus

Photo by Fayard Mohammed (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:
purple honeycreeper (en); saí-de-perna-amarela (pt); guit-guit céruléen (fr); copeicillo violáceo (es); purpurnaschvogel (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Thraupidae

Range:
These birds are found in northern South America, from northern Colombia and Venezuela, south to southern Ecuador west of the Andes and south to central Bolivia and central Brazil east of the Andes. In Brazil they are found as far south as Mato Grosso, Pará and Maranhão.

Size:
The purple honeycreeper is 10,5-12 cm long and weighs 12 g.

Habitat:
These birds are mostly found in the canopy of rainforests, swamp forests and elfin forests, but also in cocoa and citrus plantations, from sea level up to an altitude of 800 m.

Diet:
They have a varied diet, including various insects as well as the nectar and fruits of various plants. Their billed is particularly well adapted to feed on the nectar of bromeliad and other similar flowers.

Breeding:
The nest of the purple honeycreeper is built by the female, consisting of a small cup made of plant fibres, suspended from a tall scrub or tree. There she lays 2-3 white eggs with brown blotches, which are incubated for 12-13 days. There is no information regarding the fledging period.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is described as common. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.