Cnemathraupis aureodorsalis
The Golden-backed Mountain Tanager, a truly striking avian gem of the high Andes, is renowned for its spectacular and aptly named golden-yellow dorsal plumage that contrasts sharply with its black head and dark olive-green wings and tail. Measuring approximately 20-22 cm (8-8.7 inches) in length, this medium-sized tanager showcases a vibrant yellowish-orange breast and belly, often fading to a paler yellow on the flanks, making it unmistakable in its montane cloud forest habitat. Its most dis...
This species primarily inhabits humid montane forests, including dense cloud forests and their edges, typically found at elevations between 2,000 and 3,500 meters (6,500-11,500 feet) in the Andean cordillera.
Its diet consists primarily of small arthropods, such as insects and spiders, supplemented significantly by small fruits and berries gleaned from various plants within the forest canopy.
The Golden-backed Mountain Tanager is a diurnal bird, spending its days actively foraging through the mid-story and canopy layers of its forest habitat. It frequently joins large, mixed-species foraging flocks, often associating with other tanager species, flycatchers, and warblers, an efficient ...
The Golden-backed Mountain Tanager is endemic to a limited range within the humid Andes of south-central Peru and north-central Bolivia. In Peru, its distribution spans departments such as JunÃn, Pasco, Cusco, and Puno, where it is found on the eastern slopes of the Andes. Moving south into Boliv...
Least Concern
- The scientific name 'aureodorsalis' directly translates to 'golden-backed,' perfectly describing its most striking feature. - Despite its vivid coloration, it can be surprisingly difficult to spot amidst the dense, epiphyte-laden cloud forest vegetation. - It is a monotypic species, meaning the...