Poecilostreptus cabanisi
The Azure-rumped Tanager (Poecilostreptus cabanisi) is a strikingly beautiful passerine, measuring approximately 13-14 cm (5.1-5.5 inches) in length and weighing between 15-20 grams (0.53-0.71 ounces). Its plumage is predominantly a deep blue-green to blackish, contrasted by a distinct black facial mask and a pale yellowish abdomen. The species earns its name from the brilliant, iridescent azure-blue rump and lower back, a crucial field mark for identification. There is no significant sexual ...
Found primarily in humid evergreen montane forests, cloud forests, and their edges, typically at elevations between 900-1900 meters (though observed from 700-2100 meters). It shows a preference for areas with tall trees and dense understory, including shade-grown coffee plantations.
Feeds primarily on small fruits, particularly berries from genera like *Miconia* and *Cestrum*, supplemented by small insects and other arthropods gleaned from foliage.
This diurnal species is an active arboreal forager, typically observed alone, in pairs, or small family groups. It frequently joins mixed-species foraging flocks, moving through the canopy and mid-story alongside other small passerines. Foraging involves gleaning insects and small arthropods from...
The Azure-rumped Tanager possesses an extremely restricted and fragmented range, confined to humid montane forests of the Sierra Madre de Chiapas in southern Mexico (primarily eastern Chiapas) and the adjacent highlands of western Guatemala. Its distribution is highly localized, with known popula...
Endangered
- The Azure-rumped Tanager is one of the most geographically restricted and endangered tanager species in the world, confined to a tiny range in Mexico and Guatemala. - Its scientific name, *cabanisi*, honors German ornithologist Jean Louis Cabanis. - Despite its vibrant coloration, it is often d...