The cherry-throated tanager is a critically endangered bird native to the Atlantic Forest in Brazil. Since its description in 1870, based on a shot specimen, there had been no confirmed sightings for more than 100 years, and by the end of the 20th century, it was thought that the species was already extinct. The cherry-throated tanager was rediscovered in 1998 on a private fazenda in the state of Espírito Santo, and soon after on two other sites in the same state, though it disappeared from the fazenda after 2006. By the end of 2023, 20 individuals were known and the total population was estimated to be fewer than 50 birds. The main threat to its survival is the large-scale destruction of the old-growth rainforest that it requires, and in 2018 it was estimated that the species was restricted to a total area of just 31 km2 (12 sq mi).
Region
Atlantic Forest of eastern Brazil
Typical Environment
Extremely restricted to a few remnant tracts of mature Atlantic Forest in central Espírito Santo. It favors primary, old-growth evergreen forest and tall, well-structured secondary forest, usually keeping to the mid- to upper canopy. The species uses forest edges only when adjacent to intact canopy and avoids heavily degraded habitats. Movements appear local within forest fragments, and its extent of occurrence has been estimated at only a few dozen square kilometers. Ongoing deforestation and fragmentation tightly confine its range.
Altitude Range
450–1100 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
This striking tanager was known from a single 19th‑century specimen and then went unseen for more than a century until its rediscovery in 1998 in Espírito Santo, Brazil. It persists in tiny, isolated fragments of Atlantic Forest and is one of Brazil’s most threatened birds. Its bright cherry-red throat makes it unmistakable, yet it is quiet and easily overlooked as it forages high in the canopy. Fewer than 50 individuals are thought to remain, making habitat protection critical.
Adult in the Caetés forest, 2022
Adult in its habitat, the Caetés forest
Adult in the Reserva Kaetés, 2024
Habitat at a former nesting site in the Reserva Kaetés
1872 illustration based on the holotype specimen
Canopy view in the Reserva Kaetés
Published counts of known individuals per year
Temperament
wary, canopy-dwelling, and often unobtrusive
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats between canopy crowns; agile in the treetops
Social Behavior
Usually seen in pairs or small family groups and often joins mixed-species canopy flocks. Nesting remains poorly documented but is presumed to involve a small cup nest placed high in the canopy. Breeding activity has been noted in the austral spring.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Soft, high-pitched notes and thin chips, interspersed with brief trills. Vocalizations are subdued and can be easily masked by other forest sounds, which contributes to it being overlooked.
