Blue-winged mountain tanager

The blue-winged mountain tanager is a species of bird in the family Thraupidae, the tanagers. It is found in highland forest and woodland in the Andes of Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela, as well as a disjunct population in the Venezuelan Coastal Range. It is a common species and its populations appear to be stable. It is generally bright yellow and black with blue to the wings and tail; some populations have a moss-green back. In Bolivia and southernmost Peru, the rump is blue and the voice is very different; this population is sometimes recognized as a separate species, the Bolivian mountain tanager.

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Distribution

Region

Andes Mountains

Typical Environment

Occurs in humid montane and cloud forests, forest edges, and adjacent second growth from Venezuela through Colombia and Ecuador to Peru and northern Bolivia, with a disjunct population in the Venezuelan Coastal Range. It favors the mid- to upper-canopy and frequents fruiting shrubs and trees along forest borders and clearings. It adapts well to semi-open woodland and the borders of elfin forest. The species is generally common where suitable habitat remains.

Altitude Range

1500–3500 m

Climate Zone

Highland

Characteristics

Size18–20 cm

Wing Span25–30 cm

Male Weight0.058 kg

Female Weight0.054 kg

Life Expectancy6 years

Ease of Keeping

Beginner friendly: 1/5

Useful to know

Often travels in mixed-species flocks in montane forests, where it is an energetic, conspicuous presence around fruiting trees. Most populations show a yellow rump, but birds in Bolivia and southernmost Peru have a blue rump and markedly different vocalizations, sometimes treated as the Bolivian mountain tanager. A small, disjunct population also occurs in Venezuela’s Coastal Range.

Gallery

Blue-winged mountain tanager in northwest Ecuador

Behaviour

Temperament

social and active

Flight Pattern

short rapid wingbeats

Social Behavior

Commonly joins mixed-species flocks, moving restlessly through the canopy in small groups or pairs. Pairs maintain contact calls while foraging and may defend small nesting areas during the breeding season. The nest is typically a cup placed in dense vegetation, and both parents attend the young.

Migratory Pattern

Resident

Song Description

Vocalizations include clear, ringing whistles and sharp, chattering notes, with frequent scolding calls around fruiting trees. The Bolivian population’s voice is notably different, with harsher, more emphatic phrases.

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Identification

Comb Type

Plumage Description

Feather Color

Leg Color

Earlobe Color

Eye Color

Feeding Habits

Diet

Preferred Environment

Requires Supplement

Population

Conservation Status

Species Status

Wild Population

Total Known Population

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