Iridosornis jelskii
The Golden-collared Tanager, *Iridosornis jelskii*, is a resplendent passerine belonging to the Thraupidae family, renowned for its striking plumage amidst the Andean cloud forests. Measuring approximately 14.5-15 cm (5.7-5.9 inches) in length and weighing around 24-28 grams (0.85-0.99 ounces), this medium-sized tanager immediately captures attention with its vibrant coloration. Its most distinctive feature, and the source of its common name, is a bright golden-yellow band across the hindneck...
This species primarily inhabits humid montane evergreen forests, cloud forests, and forest edges, often showing a strong association with bamboo thickets. It is typically found at elevations ranging from 2,300 to 3,400 meters (7,500 to 11,200 feet) above sea level.
Its diet consists primarily of small arthropods and insects, which it gleans from foliage, supplemented by small berries and fruits, especially in the subcanopy.
The Golden-collared Tanager is a diurnal bird, active from dawn to dusk, primarily foraging in the canopy and subcanopy layers of its forest habitat. It frequently participates in mixed-species foraging flocks, often joining other tanagers, furnariids, and small insectivores, moving deliberately ...
The Golden-collared Tanager is a resident species, with its distribution confined to the humid montane forests of the Andes. Its range extends from southern Colombia, particularly in the departments of Nariño and Cauca, southward through the eastern and western cordilleras of Ecuador. In Peru, it...
Least Concern
- The species' scientific name, *jelskii*, honors Konstanty Jelski, a Polish zoologist and collector who worked extensively in Peru. - Despite its vivid colors, the Golden-collared Tanager can be surprisingly elusive, often remaining hidden within the dense cloud forest canopy. - It is one of onl...