Lanio aurantius
The Black-throated Shrike-Tanager (*Lanio aurantius*) is a striking passerine bird of the Thraupidae family, known for its bold plumage and powerful, shrike-like bill. Males are particularly conspicuous, boasting a vibrant yellow body sharply contrasted with a glossy black head, throat, and upper breast, and black wings and tail; they typically measure around 18-20 cm (7-8 inches) in length. Females exhibit distinct sexual dimorphism, presenting a more subdued olive-yellow coloration overall,...
This species primarily inhabits tropical and subtropical moist lowland forests, including forest edges and tall secondary growth, typically found from sea level up to elevations of about 1,200-1,500 meters.
Primarily insectivorous, feeding on a variety of arthropods such as caterpillars, beetles, and ants, supplemented with small amounts of fruit. They forage by gleaning from foliage, sallying for flying insects, and frequently following army ant swarms.
Black-throated Shrike-Tanagers are diurnal and highly social, frequently observed as nuclear species within large, mixed-species foraging flocks, sometimes even leading them. Their foraging strategy involves gleaning insects from foliage and branches, as well as making aerial sallies to catch fly...
The Black-throated Shrike-Tanager is a resident species found throughout much of Central America. Its breeding and year-round range extends from southeastern Mexico, including the states of Veracruz, Oaxaca, Chiapas, Tabasco, and the entire Yucatán Peninsula, south through Belize, Guatemala, and ...
Least Concern
- Despite its common name, the Black-throated Shrike-Tanager is not a true shrike but a tanager, whose powerful, hooked bill earned it the 'shrike' epithet due to its resemblance to raptorial shrikes. - It is considered a 'nuclear species' in many mixed-species foraging flocks, meaning other bird...