The white-rumped tanager is a South American bird in the tanager family Thraupidae. It is the only member of the genus Cypsnagra.
Region
Central South America (cerrado and adjacent savannas)
Typical Environment
The white-rumped tanager is widespread in the Brazilian Cerrado and extends into eastern Bolivia and Paraguay, with local reach into northern Argentina. It favors open, seasonally dry savannas with scattered shrubs and small trees, including degraded scrub and pasture edges. It is often found near gallery forest margins, rocky campos rupestres, and burn-regenerating areas where insects are abundant. Human-modified savanna mosaics can also be used if some shrub cover remains.
Altitude Range
200–1400 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
This striking tanager is the sole member of the genus Cypsnagra and is instantly recognized by its bold white rump flashing in flight. It frequents open savanna and cerrado, moving in small, noisy parties that bound between shrubs and low trees. Its conspicuous rump and wing patches serve as visual signals that help flocks stay coordinated in open habitats.
Temperament
social and active
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with bounding, low flights between shrubs
Social Behavior
Typically travels in small, tight-knit groups or family parties that keep contact through frequent calls and visual flashes of the white rump. Pairs may nest in shrubs or small trees, building a cup nest and defending a small territory within a larger foraging area. Cooperative vigilance is common in open country.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A series of sharp chips, chatters, and buzzy trills delivered in bursts, often antiphonal within a group. Calls are crisp and carry well across open savanna, aiding group cohesion.
