Cnemathraupis eximia
The Black-chested Mountain Tanager (*Cnemathraupis eximia*) is a strikingly patterned, robust tanager, typically measuring 18-20 cm (7-8 in) in length and weighing around 45-60 g. Its defining feature is a prominent glossy black chest and throat, contrasting sharply with a vibrant yellow or orange-yellow belly and undertail coverts. The back and wings are a deep olive-green, while the head sports a distinctive black mask across the eyes, bordered above by a bright white supercilium that often...
This species primarily inhabits humid montane cloud forests, forest borders, and clearings, typically found at elevations ranging from 2,000 to 3,500 meters (6,500 to 11,500 feet).
Their diet is omnivorous, consisting primarily of arthropods (insects, spiders) and a variety of small fruits and berries, often supplemented by flower nectar. They forage by gleaning from foliage and branches.
Black-chested Mountain Tanagers are diurnal birds, active from dawn until dusk, often roosting communally or solitarily within dense forest foliage. They are frequently observed participating in large, noisy mixed-species foraging flocks, particularly in the mid-story and sub-canopy, where they m...
The Black-chested Mountain Tanager is a resident species endemic to the humid montane forests of the Andes in South America, spanning across Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. Its distribution is generally fragmented, occurring in specific cordilleras. Four subspecies are recognized: *C. e. eximia* is ...
Least Concern
- The Black-chested Mountain Tanager was formerly placed in the genus *Buthraupis*, but genetic studies led to its reclassification into the monotypic genus *Cnemathraupis*. - It is one of the most distinctive "mountain-tanagers" due to its unique black chest and white supercilium, setting it apa...