Conothraupis mesoleuca
The Cone-billed Tanager, Conothraupis mesoleuca, is a strikingly dimorphic and elusive passerine endemic to the South American cerrado and open woodlands. Males are instantly recognizable with their glossy black plumage contrasted by a prominent white patch on the wing coverts, complemented by a heavy, pale conical bill. Females, in stark contrast, are olive-green above and streaked yellowish-white below, with a duller version of the distinctive bill. Averaging about 16 cm (6.3 inches) in len...
Found in open woodlands, gallery forest edges, and savanna-like cerrado environments, typically in areas with scattered trees. It inhabits elevations ranging from lowlands up to 1100 meters.
Primarily consumes large, hard-cased seeds, especially from legumes, supplemented by a significant intake of insects like caterpillars and beetles. It also occasionally feeds on small fruits.
This diurnal tanager is often shy and elusive, typically observed singly, in pairs, or small family groups, occasionally joining mixed-species foraging flocks. It methodically gleans insects from foliage and cracks open large, hard seeds using its powerful conical bill, often foraging in the lowe...
The Cone-billed Tanager is an endemic resident of central South America, primarily inhabiting the interior regions of Brazil, including the states of Mato Grosso, Goiás, Minas Gerais, Rondônia, and Tocantins. A separate, disjunct population is also found in eastern Bolivia, specifically within th...
Vulnerable
- Described in 1856 but remained virtually unseen by scientists for nearly 80 years, earning it the moniker 'lost bird' until its rediscovery in 1938. - It wasn't truly studied in its natural habitat until the 1980s, making it one of the most mysterious tanagers. - Its genus, *Conothraupis*, cont...